Clinton to make quick swing through W. Africa

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will pay a quick, two-day visit to four nations in West Africa early next week, launching her travel schedule for the year with a trip aimed at highlighting good governance and economic development.

The State Department said that on the January 16-17 trip Clinton will visit Liberia for the inauguration of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for her second term, before heading to Ivory Coast, Togo and Cape Verde.

Clinton's visit to Ivory Coast will allow her to meet President Alassane Outtara after his ruling coalition won a landslide victory in December 11 parliamentary elections that boosted his hand in governing the war-scarred West African state.

Clinton will also become the first ever U.S. secretary of state to visit Togo, which won a non-permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council for 2012-2013, putting it in the hotseat as the United States presses the international community for more action against Iran and Syria.

Clinton will wrap up her trip in the tiny Atlantic Ocean state of Cape Verde, which has moved from autocracy to prosperous democracy and is a frequent U.S. partner on issues including counter-narcotics cooperation.