Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit to the United States, the first for an African leader since 2008, was “a big deal,” to quote a Biden administration official. The many White House events — with state dinner and hefty announcements — brought attention to Kenya and the broader U.S.-Africa relationship, offering time to take stock after a major 2022 summit brought African leaders to Washington, D.C.
Ruto and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed “the significant opportunity for the U.S. to radically recalibrate its strategy and strengthen its support for Africa” by investing in its institutions and peace and security, Ruto said. He called on the U.S. to help African nations struggling with multiple shocks, like extreme climate events, debt distress, and spillover from global conflicts.
“Too many nations are forced to make a choice between development and debt, between investing in their people and paying back their creditors,” Biden said at a joint press conference with the two presidents.
About the author
Adva Saldinger@AdvaSal
Adva Saldinger is a Senior Reporter at Devex where she covers development finance, as well as U.S. foreign aid policy. Adva explores the role the private sector and private capital play in development and authors the weekly Devex Invested newsletter bringing the latest news on the role of business and finance in addressing global challenges. A journalist with more than 10 years of experience, she has worked at several newspapers in the U.S. and lived in both Ghana and South Africa.
