Yellen discusses energy transition in South Africa

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is discussing South Africa’s transition from its heavy reliance on coal to greener energy sources during talks with the country's finance minister Thursday.

Yellen made brief remarks to reporters ahead of a meeting with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in Pretoria but avoided mention of South Africa's recent decision to take part in joint navy drills with Russia and China off its east coast next month.

South Africa is a key U.S. and Western partner but also holds strong ties to Russia and China, and it has adopted a neutral stance over the war in Ukraine.

The announcement that South Africa would host Russian and Chinese warships for 10 days of exercises in February has raised concern at the White House. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was in Pretoria for an official visit earlier this week.

Yellen's 10-day trip to Africa, which has already included stops in Senegal and Zambia, is one of the first steps in the Biden administration's aim of reestablishing ties on the continent of 1.3 billion, where China has rapidly increased its economic presence and Russia has gained a military foothold.

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield is also on a tour to Africa, and President Joe Biden has said he plans to visit this year.

On Thursday, Yellen said South Africa's energy sector would be one of the focuses of her talks with Godongwana.

South Africa has received pledges of up to $8.5 billion from the United States and other Western nations to fund its energy transition away from coal-burning power plants and recently agreed to some parts of the loan funding at the U.N. climate conference in Egypt last year.

South Africa, the continent's most developed economy, relies on coal to...