Ruto to attend US-African Leaders Summit in USA

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Ruto to attend US-African Leaders Summit in USA
Ruto to attend US-African Leaders Summit in USA

Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto is among African leaders invited to the U.S-Africa Leaders Summit to take place Washington, DC on December 13-15. The Summit will demonstrate the US’ enduring commitment to Africa.

It will also underscore the importance of US-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities, a statement from US State Department said.

Some 49 African Heads of State, along with the chairman of the African Union, have been invited by President Joe Biden to the landmark summit. The summit is one of Biden’s top foreign-policy priorities this year.

It is the first opportunity for his administration to showcase how it views the future of US-Africa relations on its home turf. This is amid increasing geopolitical tension with Russia and China and efforts to reset US-Africa relations after the Trump’s presidency.

The summit comes at a crucial point in US-Africa relations as the continent seeks to recover from the global coronavirus pandemic and faces new economic and political pressures amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

Officials said on day one of the summit, there will be a series of forums including an African and Diaspora Young Leaders forum, a civil society, peace, security and governance forums. This will bring together youth leaders, civil society, political actors and climate advocates.

The second day will be dedicated to the U.S-Africa business forum – a full day of opportunities for African and US businesses to come together and to meet with delegations from the continent.

The third day is dubbed the ‘leaders’ day’ with Biden and heads of delegations and heads of state from Africa. Biden has made clear that renewing democracy in the US and around the world is essential to meeting the “unprecedented challenges of our time.”

In December 2021, Biden held the first of two summits for democracy, which brought together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector in a bid “to renew democracy at home and confront autocracies abroad.”

During the summit, Biden led world leaders in making a series of commitments including bolstering free and independent media, fighting corruption and defending free and fair elections.

Also, strengthening civic capacity, advancing the civic and political leadership of women, girls, and marginalised community members and harnessing technology for democratic renewal.

State Department’s officials said participants at this year’s summit, which will take place exactly one year after the maiden edition, are expected to take stock of the progress made and forge a common path ahead.

Biden, in a statement issued in July, said the upcoming summit will demonstrate the United States’ enduring commitment to Africa. He said it will underscore the importance of U.S-Africa relations and increase cooperation on shared global priorities.

Officials say Africa will shape the future — not just the future of the African people, but of the world. Africa will make the difference in tackling the most urgent challenges and seizing the opportunities we all face.

“I look forward to working with African governments, civil society, diaspora communities across the United States, and the private sector to continue strengthening our shared vision for the future of U.S-Africa relations,” Biden said.

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