Trump, Kenyan President Kenyatta to Meet at White House
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2020 8:47 am
FILE - President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in the Oval Office of the White House, Aug. 27, 2018, in Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump meets Thursday with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta at the White House.
The two leaders are expected to discuss a possible free trade deal, which would be a first between the U.S. and an African country.
Kenya is strategically important to the U.S., as America tries to offset the influence of China. China eclipsed the U.S. as Africa’s trading partner more than a decade ago.
Kenyatta’s visit to Trump’s White House is a rare for an African head of state. Kenyatta met with Trump once before in August 2018, when the White House said Thursday “the two leaders established the United States-Kenya Bilateral Strategic Dialogue.”“
President Trump looks forward to building on this momentum and discussing new opportunities to advance cooperation and trade,” the White House said.
Trump has not shown much interest in African countries since he has been in office. The U.S. has free-trade pacts with 20 countries, but none in Africa.
The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday, however, that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would visit Africa for the first time from February 15 to 19, with stops scheduled in Angola, Ethiopia and Senegal.