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Kenya’s President Ruto is received by Joe Biden in Washington. The great honor does not come from unselfishness.
It’s all about this: Kenya’s President William Ruto has been on a state visit to the USA since the beginning of the week. After meetings with high-ranking US parliamentarians, he will now meet President Joe Biden. Ruto is the first African head of government to be received in Washington in this way since 2008. Biden and his government apparently have important plans for Kenya.
Hence the great attention: The USA sees Kenya as an important partner in Africa, particularly in the Horn of Africa. Combating terrorism plays a central role in this. Kenya supports the USA in the fight against the terrorist militia Al-Shabab in Somalia and has also positioned itself as a mediator in the conflict between Congo-Kinshasa and Rwanda. The USA has lost some African partner countries – such as Uganda, which is internationally criticized for a new homosexuality law, or South Africa, due to tensions over the Gaza crisis. This makes strengthening relations with Kenya all the more important.
Legend:
Big reception for Kenya’s President William Ruto and his wife with US President Joe Biden in the White House. This shows how important Kenya is for the USA.
Keystone/Evan Vucci
Rivals of China & Co.: The US is also trying to create a counterweight to China and Russia in Africa. But not only these two states, but also countries such as Turkey, India and Saudi Arabia have expanded their presence in Africa. President Ruto’s visit is now intended to consolidate the US’s geopolitical influence in Africa and create a counterweight to the growing influence of all these countries. The US wants to ensure that it continues to play a significant role in Africa – and can counteract the growing influence of its global rivals.
This is what Ruto is hoping for: Kenya’s president is considered very ambitious. He wants to expand his country’s importance as an important partner of the USA and as a regional leader in Africa. He also hopes for much-needed US investment to boost the Kenyan economy, which is suffering from a heavy debt burden. He also wants to extend African countries’ duty-free access to the US market in the long term. And last but not least, he wants to position Kenya as a leading voice in Africa in areas such as trade, security, climate and finance.
It is also about security policy: Kenya is important for the USA not only in the fight against terrorism in East Africa. Ruto has also pledged to send a 1,000-strong paramilitary police force to Haiti. The USA is supporting this mission with $300 million. This cooperation shows how indispensable Kenya is as a security partner for the USA. In addition, Kenya is seen as a reliable partner through its participation in international peace missions and by supporting stabilization operations in the region.