Kenya To Be Named “Anchor” For United States’ Africa Policy

Kenya is set to be named “anchor” country for other African countries as the United States unveils its Africa policy this Thursday (today).

The United States of America has been on a mission to woe back most of the African countries that seem to have “abandoned” it for China and other Middle-East countries.

The initiative by Donald Trump’s administration comes at a time when China has presented herself as Africa’s favorite in loans and funding of mega projects, especially infrastructure.

China is the second largest lender to Kenya after the World Bank and is the force behind the construction and completion of the first phase of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) that runs from Mombasa to Nairobi at a cost of more than 350 billion shillings.

The initiative to be unveiled by the United States entails plans and efforts to enhance the relations with Kenya and other African countries viewed as regionally important.

The US also aims at reducing the influence of China that has been targeting specific African countries to gain both political and economic advantage. Majority of this countries initially depended on the United States.

According to NBC News, “the White House strategy is expected to name several countries as anchors for the strategy, and experts close to the administration expect the list to include Kenya, a longstanding US ally.”

Some of the things that the White House strategy is set to address are helping most African countries that will be included in the strategy to fight terrorism. Washington has been on the forefront in helping African countries, Kenya included in countering terrorism.

“The US is unlikely to ignore terrorism and other security concerns as part of its Africa strategy. It is too pressing a problem to ignore,” said Mr. Joshua Meservey, the Heritage Foundation’s Africa specialist.