Why did Biden choose Kenya for the first state visit by an African leader?

The White House said it chose Kenya for the first state visit by an African leader for many reasons, including because the East African powerhouse has taken a step forward on the world stage, offering to participate in a United Nations peace mission. in Haiti, which could put troops on the ground as soon as this week.

The correspondent of the VOA At the White House, Anita Powell spoke with Frances Brown, the newly appointed director of African affairs of the National Security Council, before the state visit of the President of Kenya, William Ruto.

In his conversation with VOA He said that a variety of topics about the African country were discussed, including technology, climate management, debt relief, democracy and health among others.

The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: In a few days, President Joe Biden will host Kenyan President William Ruto, the first African leader on a state visit, at the White House. Why was Kenya chosen and what results can we expect?

Frances Brown: We chose Kenya for several reasons. Number 1 is the Kenya-US bond that has really gone from focusing on the region to focusing on the world. (…) And we see a lot of complementarities in terms of what we are trying to do with respect to climate, what we are trying to do with respect to developing world debt and with security issues.

The second reason why we wanted to have this state visit with Kenya is that we are both democracies, and our bond is very deep as democracies and as societies.

The third reason is that Kenya and the United States actually work similarly in terms of bringing in the private sector to solve global challenges. So we’ll talk a lot about it. The results you will see are in the areas of technology, clean energy and climate transition, debt relief, democracy, people-to-people ties, and health-related issues.

VOA: Kenya hopes to have peacekeeping forces in Haiti soon. Why is it so important for management?

Brown: We really welcome Kenyans raising their hands to help lead this multinational security support mission in Haiti, because it’s kind of an example of what I just mentioned of Kenya raising its hand to solve problems even outside your region. (…) As you know, it has been planned for several months. It has included experts from around the world working to develop a concept of operations. Kenya is not going alone. The United States has contributed 300 million dollars for this, so it is something very important for us.

VOA: Is there any other security agreement that the two countries can reach during the state visit?

Brown: I would say watch this space, because I think security cooperation with Kenya is a really important pillar.

VOA: Are you going to focus on threats from Somalia or other parts of East Africa?

Brown: The United States and Kenya have long cooperated in Somalia. I think you can look for security-related ads that go beyond that.

VOA: US troops are withdrawing from the Sahel and the so-called “Coup Belt.” What are the administration’s concerns about security in the Sahel region, especially as Russia expands its presence there?

Brown: As has been widely reported, we are carrying out an orderly withdrawal from Niger. I will say that it is quite consistent with the position [antiterrorista] of our administration as a whole, that we have made changes to our posture that are consistent with our counterterrorism policy. It is no secret that democracy is at risk in many places around the world.

If you talk to democracy scholars, democracy is in something like its 20th year of global decline. Africa is therefore not alone in this regard. The Biden administration is focused on lifting up and partnering with democracies to help them deliver.

You may have seen USAID’s democracy initiative working. We are working with some African countries in that regard. And I think this is, again, something that we will be talking to Kenyans about a lot, because President Ruto has talked about the imperative for democracy to work.

VOA: Regarding trade issues and the African Growth and Opportunity Act, obviously this is going to be a decision made by Congress, but what does the administration think about the benefits of trade and free trade with the United States? ?

Brown: President Biden has been vocal that he considers AGOA reauthorization and AGOA modernization to be a high priority. It’s been huge, I think from our perspective, but also from the region’s perspective. This is something we hear a lot about from our Kenyan partners. We go to Congress for that. But, as you know, the reauthorization is scheduled for next year and obviously we hope that things can get underway before then.

VOA: The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which has literally been a lifeline for people across the African continent, will be renewed next year. How does the White House believe this program contributes to national security?

Brown: We consider PEPFAR to be essential. And as you know, PEPFAR has had bipartisan support from Congress and every administration since George W. Bush’s initial initiative. We believe PEPFAR is delivering for people across the continent, and we are proud to support it, and we seek reauthorization.

VOA: When will President Biden visit Africa and where will he go?

Brown: I have no news at this time to announce presidential trips. But what I will say is that, so far, I think President Biden’s commitment to the relationship with the continent is pretty clear. If you think about Kenya, it is the first state visit we have made to a country that does not belong to the G20 this term. There have only been five other state visits. …But then you have to look at the steady stream of trips by Cabinet officials to the continent over the past two years: by our count, there are 24 directors or Cabinet-level officials who have made that trip, all of them with their own agenda .

I would also say that in terms of the other ways that President Biden has shown his commitment, advocating for AU membership [Unión Africana] at the G20 it has been enormous. Advocate for more African headquarters and international financial institutions and all other transformative investments.

VOA: You just joined the National Security Council in this role. What priorities do you bring to this position?

Brown: I think I see this position as advancing the affirmative agenda that President Biden put forward first, and the Sub-Saharan Africa Strategy, which was released in late 2021. Then the African Leaders Summit, which took place in late 2022. There were many initiatives launched by those two events. We are now moving forward with implementation.

At the same time, of course, on the National Security Council, the urgent sometimes competes with the important, so of course we deal with crisis management. And we are really concerned about the crises that are occurring in many parts of the continent. So, I see my role as a balance between those two, and I’m delighted to be on board.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels Youtube, WhatsApp and to the newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.