– Visit comes 15 + years since last visit by An African head of state

– Congress not inviting him to address a joint session because of scheduling.

– Kenya is becoming an important security partner to the US.

– At home, Ruto is struggling for not doing enough to grow Kenya’s struggling economy, but abroad, he has become an advocate for African issues

Three days ago, Kenyan President William Ruto arrived in Washington DC for a highly anticipated Official State Visit with US President Joe Biden. This marks the first time in over 15 years that an African leader was accorded this honour at the White House, complete with all the bells and whistles.

The visit carries immense significance, coming six decades after diplomatic ties were first established between the US and Kenya, and provides Biden with an opportunity to reaffirm America’s commitment to the African continent amid increasing competition for influence from rivals like Russia and China, and amidst criticism from some African leaders regarding the biased manner in which the Gaza conflict has been handled.

“… .We project government interest payments to reach 28% of revenue in FY24, nearly three times the current ‘B’ median forecast of 10.6%.”

Fitch Ratings (Source)