President Biden promisess to strengthen partnerships with Kenya

U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Kenyan President William Ruto to the White House on Thursday for a state visit aimed at deepening relations with African nations, which have been sidelined by wars in Ukraine and Gaza, with a flurry of deal announcements. Ruto, who arrived in the U.S. on Monday and visited Atlanta, Georgia, spoke with CEOs in the White House on Wednesday. On Thursday, he will meet with Biden in the Oval Office, hold a joint press conference and attend a lavish state dinner in the evening. Ruto’s trip is the first state visit for an African president to the White House since 2008. Successive U.S. governments have said they wanted to offer a more sustainable and democratic alternative to relations with U.S. rivals China and Russia, but have failed to establish real ties.