Los Angeles Times

Tillerson arrives in Africa with a narrow mission: Counterterrorism

JOHANNESBURG - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's five-nation itinerary told African leaders everything they needed to know about the Trump administration's approach to the continent - counterterrorism is in. Human rights and democracy, not so much.

His tour of the African countries focuses squarely on counterterrorism and security, visiting nations engaged in battling Islamist terrorism, including Djibouti, home to Camp Lemonnier, America's largest and most important African military base. Democracy, human rights and development take a back seat under the Trump administration, with sharp cuts in foreign aid.

Previous U.S. administrations have tended to woo African nations with good records on governance, rights and democracy. But with China edging out

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