WASHINGTON, D.C. May 23— Kenyan President William Ruto has become the first African leader in more than 15 years to make an official state visit to the United States. This historic visit provides President Joe Biden with an opportunity to demonstrate a renewed commitment to Africa at a time when Washington appears to be playing catch-up in its engagement with the continent.
President Ruto’s visit is seen as a reward for his steadfast support of Washington’s security missions in war-torn regions such as Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Frances Brown, director for African affairs at the National Security Council, told the Voice of America, “We chose Kenya for a few reasons. The Kenya-U.S. partnership has evolved from a regionally focused one to a globally focused one. We see a lot of complementarities in terms of what we’re trying to do on climate, debt for the developing world, and security issues.”
Political analysts, including Prof. Peter Kagwanja and Prof. Macharia Munene, describe the trip as a prestigious honor for President Ruto and Kenya. Prof. Kagwanja highlighted the significance of the U.S. trip, stating, “Former presidents Kibaki and Uhuru visited the U.S. officially, but this is a state visit. It means all government business shuts down to receive an important guest from Kenya. It shows we have reached a certain league among great nations.”
Prof. Munene noted that the visit signifies the U.S. perceiving Ruto as an African statesman, akin to figures like the late Tom Mboya and opposition leader Raila Odinga. “It is a good thing for the President, and he has really been fighting for that recognition because it gives him prestige where he is portrayed as the leader of Africans,” said Munene.
Despite these honours, relations with other African allies are strained as strategic rivals, including Russia and China, challenge traditional Western influence. U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, who welcomed Ruto in Atlanta, said, “Kenya is the most stable democracy in East Africa, and Ruto has demonstrated remarkable leadership.”
Kenya’s role as a diplomatic and business centre in the region has strengthened its status as an “anchor state” for the U.S. in East Africa. Although domestically Ruto has faced protests over his handling of the struggling economy, globally he has become an advocate for Africa on issues related to climate change and debt relief.
Kenya is also an important security partner in East Africa, pleasing Washington by pledging to send Kenyan police to Haiti. This decision followed a phone call from President Biden last year to discuss Nairobi’s promise to lead a multinational force to the troubled country. Although Biden has yet to fulfill his promise to visit Africa, analysts have linked Ruto’s state visit to the U.S. with Kenya’s agreement to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti under a UN agreement.
Domestically, this deployment has faced legal challenges, but personnel are already in Port-au-Prince preparing for the full deployment. “The government is in the process of finalizing preparations to deploy. I can tell you for sure that this deployment will happen in the next few weeks,” said a government spokesperson ahead of Ruto’s U.S. State Visit.
The Biden administration highlights its successes in treating Africa as a strategic partner. High-level visits have framed Africa as “the continent of the future,” given its young, fast-growing population, natural resources, and increasing global influence. American backing has helped African nations secure better representation at global forums such as the G20, IMF, and World Bank, though U.S. positions on issues like Israel’s war in Gaza and Russia’s war in Ukraine have not always garnered African support.
Investments like the Lobito Corridor, a rail line through Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia, have demonstrated U.S. commitment to beneficial projects. “With that Lobito Corridor, the Americans decided to speak in the language that Africans understand,” Kingsley Moghalu, a Nigerian political economist, told the BBC.
Alex Vines, head of the Africa Programme at Chatham House, remarked that African leaders seek a balance in their international relationships. “One African leader said to me: ‘We get tired of a Chinese buffet, we’d like to go a la carte, we want choice,’” he told the BBC.
President Ruto is seen as a leader who can navigate this complex landscape, making the most of the competition among global powers. As Vines puts it, “There is a game of chess going on. There is a new scramble for Africa. The difference is that the chess board, the African continent, is alive; it’s not passive. It can suck people in and really surprise them.”