President William Ruto of Kenya. (Simon Maina/AFP)
- American lawmakers want to hear directly from Kenya's president.
- This will make William Ruto the first African leader to address a joint session of the US Congress in nearly 20 years.
- Kenya is a key partner of the United States on the African continent, including in the fight against jihadism.
Kenyan President William Ruto will become the first African head of state to address a joint session of the US Congress in 18 years, if leading US lawmakers have their way.
Ruto is scheduled to arrive in Washington on May 23 as part of US President Joe Biden's efforts to make up for a failed trip to Africa he promised last year.
Ruto is expected to address the House and Senate during his stay, according to a formal request filed by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael Thomas McCaul and former chairman and current ranking member Gregory Weldon Meeks. is.
The last person to do so was Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, then President of Liberia.
In a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, the senators said such an invitation “underscores the importance of the U.S.-Kenya relationship and sends a valuable signal to the people of Africa.”
Ruto's arrival comes as the United States and Kenya mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
Kenya and South Africa are major U.S. partners in Africa, but relations with South Africa have been strained recently.
Both senators outlined some of the key alliances between the two countries.
“The relationship between the United States and Kenya continues to deepen, including strong political, economic, technological, and cultural ties.The United States is one of Kenya's largest trading partners, and Kenya is one of Africa's It is one of the most dynamic economies and has one of the highest utilization rates of U.S. market access.
“Nearly 100,000 Kenyan-Americans call the United States home. Additionally, the United States maintains an overseas military base in Manda Bay in the Indian Ocean to support operations to counter the terrorist threat posed by Al-Shabaab. ” they said in the letter.
Read | US cannot afford to make SA dysfunctional, says Naledi Pandor in UK editorial
The U.S. fight against violent extremism in west and central Africa has recently faced rejection from the military regime, which backs the Russian paramilitary group Afrika Korps.
However, friendly relations continue in East Africa.
“Kenya's active participation in Africa's future and beyond is critical to regional peace and stability and consistent with the broader economic and strategic interests of the United States,” the lawmakers said.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo met with Ruto last week and praised his “continent-wide leadership in business and policy innovation.”
News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hans Seidel Foundation. Articles produced through Africa Desk, and the opinions and statements contained herein, do not reflect the opinions and statements of the Hans His Seidel Foundation.
