Pompeo arrives in Dakar to kick off African tour

DAKAR -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Dakar Saturday evening, the first leg of his African tour which will take him to Angola and Ethiopia after Senegal.

Greeted by Senegalese Foreign Minister Amadou Ba at the airport, Pompeo is expected to attend the signing ceremony of five agreements with Senegalese officials on Sunday.

He will meet with Senegalese President Macky Sall as well as the foreign minister.

According to the agenda, Pompeo will also meet private sector representatives, have a talk with Senegalese youth and take part in a religious event.

Other than the focus on trade and private investments in Africa, Sall and Pompeo will discuss security issues in the subregion.

Pompeo's visit is seen as part of the efforts to deepen cooperation between Senegal and the United States. This is the most important visit by US authorities to sub-Saharan Africa since Donald Trump was elected as US president.