US Hosts Kenyan Leader in First African State Visit in 16 Years

An American president will host a state visit for an African leader for the first time in 16 years, as the world’s biggest economy struggles to build influence on a continent forging closer relations beyond Washington’s top competitors China and Russia.

Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit to the White House on Thursday comes as President Joe Biden commitment to engage with African countries is being drained by wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the aggressive economic competition with China.

William Ruto and Joe Biden at the White House on May 22.

Photographer: Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg

Filling that vacuum, middle powers including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are jostling to expand their ...