US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed South Africa on Sunday to start a three-nation visit. Aiming to counter russian influence on the continent.
The visit came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov undertook an extensive tour of Africa late in July, reports BSS.
South Africa, a leader in the developing world, has remained neutral in the Ukraine war, refusing to join Western calls to condemn Moscow, which had opposed apartheid before the end of white minority rule in 1994.
During visit Blinken will hold talks on Monday with South African counterpart Naledi Pandor and also make an announcement on the US government's new Africa strategy, Pretoria said in a statement.
They will "discuss ongoing and recent developments relating to the global geopolitical situation," it said.
The State Department last month called African countries "geostrategic players and critical partners on the most pressing issues of our day, from promoting an open and stable international system, to tackling the effects of climate change, food insecurity and global pandemics to shaping our technological and economic futures".
Blinken who is on his second trip to Africa since his appointment early last year, is due to proceed to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda later this week.
