Nigeria and Kenya to get Clinton visit as consolation prize

News is emerging today from Nigeria that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set for a visit there, as well as Kenya and several other African countries in the not-so-distant future. As Dow Jones puts it, "many African countries felt snubbed by [Obama’s] choice of Ghana" last month for his inagural trip to the ...

By , International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Colombia.

News is emerging today from Nigeria that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set for a visit there, as well as Kenya and several other African countries in the not-so-distant future.

As Dow Jones puts it, "many African countries felt snubbed by [Obama's] choice of Ghana" last month for his inagural trip to the continent. That's an excellent understatement. As I wrote here a few weeks ago, "miffed" might be a more accurate word to describe Nigeria's feelings, in particular. Africa's most-populous country didn't take kindly to being upstaged by its smaller neighbor -- who is, ahem, also in Nigeria's self-dubbed sphere of influence. 

Now the injustice will be at least partially remedied, it seems. Maybe Nigeria's U.S.-based diplomats went on overdrive to secure Clinton's visit. Or the White House was worried about angering its 3rd largest supplier of oil. Then again, the visit could have been in the cards long before the Ghana-row erupted.

News is emerging today from Nigeria that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set for a visit there, as well as Kenya and several other African countries in the not-so-distant future.

As Dow Jones puts it, "many African countries felt snubbed by [Obama’s] choice of Ghana" last month for his inagural trip to the continent. That’s an excellent understatement. As I wrote here a few weeks ago, "miffed" might be a more accurate word to describe Nigeria’s feelings, in particular. Africa’s most-populous country didn’t take kindly to being upstaged by its smaller neighbor — who is, ahem, also in Nigeria’s self-dubbed sphere of influence. 

Now the injustice will be at least partially remedied, it seems. Maybe Nigeria’s U.S.-based diplomats went on overdrive to secure Clinton’s visit. Or the White House was worried about angering its 3rd largest supplier of oil. Then again, the visit could have been in the cards long before the Ghana-row erupted.

Whatever the truth may be, Clinton may have to do some reassuring that Nigeria is not an afterthought (…even if it is).

Elizabeth Dickinson is International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Colombia.

More from Foreign Policy

Vladimir Putin speaks during the Preliminary Draw of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia at The Konstantin Palace on July 25, 2015 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Vladimir Putin speaks during the Preliminary Draw of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia at The Konstantin Palace on July 25, 2015 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

What Putin Got Right

The Russian president got many things wrong about invading Ukraine—but not everything.

Dmitry Medvedev (center in the group of officials), an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is now deputy chairman of the country's security council, visits the Omsktransmash (Omsk transport machine factory) in the southern Siberian city of Omsk.
Dmitry Medvedev (center in the group of officials), an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is now deputy chairman of the country's security council, visits the Omsktransmash (Omsk transport machine factory) in the southern Siberian city of Omsk.

Russia Has Already Lost in the Long Run

Even if Moscow holds onto territory, the war has wrecked its future.

Sri Lankan construction workers along a road in Colombo.
Sri Lankan construction workers along a road in Colombo.

China’s Belt and Road to Nowhere

Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy is a “shadow of its former self.”

Dalton speaks while sitting at a table alongside other U.S. officials.
Dalton speaks while sitting at a table alongside other U.S. officials.

The U.S. Overreacted to the Chinese Spy Balloon. That Scares Me.

So unused to being challenged, the United States has become so filled with anxiety over China that sober responses are becoming nearly impossible.