President Biden welcomes Kenyan President William Ruto to the South Portico of the White House on May 22. The two leaders met with a group of technology CEOs the day before the official state visit.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
hide caption
toggle caption
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
President Biden welcomes Kenyan President William Ruto for a state visit on Thursday, a trip aimed at showing his administration wants to deepen U.S. ties with the African continent.
As part of a long list of new deals with Kenya, Biden will announce plans to designate the country as a major non-NATO ally, which will come with some defense trade benefits.
Kenya will be the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to receive this designation, which recognizes the country’s contributions to the fight against terrorism and its work leading a multinational force in Haiti.
It has been a long time since an African leader had the honor of a state visit. Former President George W. Bush rolled out the red carpet in Ghana in 2008 and in Kenya in 2003. Former President Barack Obama hosted a summit with a state dinner for 50 leaders in 2014.
“This is the first state visit by an African head of state in almost 20 years. This should have been done a long time ago,” Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters.
China, Russia and other countries have been actively investing on the continent, and Biden has sought to try to restore American influence, starting with a summit in 2022.
Since then, Vice President Harris, first lady Jill Biden and seven members of Biden’s Cabinet have visited Africa, but Biden himself has not done so, although he promised to do so. He told reporters Wednesday that he would go there in February — a goal that will obviously depend on his re-election.
Biden met with tech company executives from Kenya and the United States on Wednesday, recognizing the country’s growth in the technology sector.
The White House said the two leaders also planned to focus on debt and climate issues during their meeting.
In the evening, Biden will host a gala featuring performances by the Howard Gospel Choir and country star Brad Paisley in what first lady Jill Biden described to reporters as “an elegant dinner under the stars, in an almost entirely glass pavilion , looking up to the sky. to our only sky.
First lady Jill Biden arrives at a preview of the state dinner for Kenya on May 22.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
hide caption
toggle caption
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
NPR News
