Blinken made his comments on China at Stanford University
AFP

The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, held a phone conversation with the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, Thursday.

The phone call came ahead of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, scheduled to take place between December 13-15.

The two officials discussed Pandor's participation in the Summit and the strong bilateral relationship between the U.S. and South Africa.

"The Summit will demonstrate the United States enduring commitment to Africa and will underscore the importance of U.S.-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities," a statement by the White House said.

U.S. President Biden will host 50 African heads of state for the second U.S.-African Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. The three-day summit, designed to increase trade and investment on the African continent, is seen as a key moment for US policy in the region.

However, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Sudan were not invited to the Africa Union summit due to recent coups d'etats, the White House added.

Furthermore, Washington doesn't have any ambassador exchange with Eritrea, due to which the country was excluded from the invitation list as well. Western Sahara (officially called Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) is not recognized by Washington and, therefore, was not invited to the summit.

The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit will lay the groundwork for improved economic engagement and fortify the dedication to democracy and human rights between the two regions. The summit is also aimed at reducing the effects of COVID-19 and forthcoming pandemics, work together to bolster regional and global health and promote food security, among other issues of mutual interest.

The forum will include interactions with civil society, multilateral meetings between Biden and African heads of state, secretary and cabinet-level meetings for trade, energy, and diplomacy, and a collection of industry-focused meetings under the umbrella of the U.S.-Africa Business Forum.

The first edition of the summit was held in 2014 during then-President Barack Obama's second term in office. A second summit is being considered as the Biden administration's efforts to solidify ties with the African continent.