Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta began his visit to the United States on Wednesday with an urgent call to international leaders to stop thinking of Africa as a prize to be won. “Western countries, and their counterparts in Asia and the Middle East, are returned to competition over Africa, in some cases weaponizing divisions, pursuing proxy actions and behaving like Africa is for the taking.
“Well, I want to tell you it is not,” Kenyatta said in a speech at the Atlantic Council think tank.
President Kenyatta is visiting Washington, D.C. to attend the National Prayer Breakfast with Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, where they will speak about their efforts to reconcile Kenya’s highly polarized society.
The president also urged the United States and China to avoid dragging in Africa to their trade and economic disputes with one another. “We don’t want to be forced to choose,” between Beijing and Washington he said, “we want to work with everybody.” Beijing and Washington both offer important economic advantages for Kenya and can both be worked with to achieve strong, sustainable growth, he argued. “This world is big enough for all of us.”
SUGGESTED READING:
- AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE: Kenya leader warns against US, China rivalry in Africa
- THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL: Kenyan president says global leaders must see Africa as “the world’s biggest opportunity” by David A. Wemer
