Frank Garcia, the newly confirmed US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, has begun his first official visit to Africa with stops in Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali. Garcia is expected to promote President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda, linking it to commercial diplomacy, strategic competition, and security cooperation. During his visit to Nigeria, he is expected to discuss the administration’s proposed migration agreement. The deal could speed the deportation of Nigerian citizens from the US. The Trump administration could also link Nigeria’s cooperation to US visa policy. Analysts note that Garcia’s role complements that of White House adviser Massad Boulos, who has led US diplomatic efforts in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan.
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