THE US-AFRICAN SUMMIT

File: Head of States and Dignitaries during the past meeting. African-US summit is going on in Washington DC..

THE AFRICAN-UNITED STATES SUMMIT AT WASHINGTON DC

The United States-African Summit which is staged at Washington DC was graced by over 37 African Presidents and approximately 13 Prime Ministers and Vice Presidents and several cabinet secretaries.

President Barack Obama’s four-day trip to four African countries last year is what initiated the summit. The summit’s main agenda is Trade and Investment. Among other issues which top the list of the agenda are security and diplomatic relationship between United States and the African countries. Many African countries have recently strengthened ties with China. United States fears that China’s investments in African countries have moved African nations to the East and they will soon forget the world superpower country.

China’s annual investment in Africa is twice investments of the United States in Africa. China is currently investing close to $200billion in Africa against $85billion which the States invest in African soil. China has been sponsoring construction of roads and building of industries in African over the last ten years..

There were many expectations in Kenya when President Barack Obama won the US presidency in 2008. The Kenyan government went as far as building houses and providing security for his next of kin living at Kogelo in Kisumu County in attempt to lure US President to channel resources to Kenya during his tenure. It is, therefore, sad that the so-called “Kenya-born” President of world’s most developed country has never stepped in Kenya since 2004 when he was the senator of Illinois.

President Obama’s latest visit to Africa exacerbated the relationship between Kenya and the United states. It was even worst when he visited our neighbouring country, Tanzania, who is lacked behind in East African economy despites strong diplomatic and trade relationship she has with America.

Barack Obama never recognised President Kenyatta’s victory when he was elected in 2013 elections as the fourth president Kenya. Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameroon and China’s President sent their congratulations to Kenyatta right after IEBC announced that Kenyatta was the duly elected president. It was until later on when the Supreme Court in Kenya upheld Kenyatta’s victory, when Obama opened up and sent a congratulatory note to the President.

Obama’s first meeting with President Kenyatta was during Nelson Mandela’s burial ceremony in South Africa in December last year. Since then, President has never met with US president.

Back to the United States-African Summit, five African nations were exempted from attending the summit. There were several conditions before a leader of any African nation is invited. A country he/she is the head of state must be in “good terms” with America and it must be a member of an African Union (AU).

The above conditions were, therefore, not enough since the five African countries that were denied to attend the meeting were each given various reasons why they were not invited. The countries include Central African Republic, Western Sahara, Eritrea, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Central African Republic President was not invited because there was a coup d’etat attempt in her country and the country is currently suspended from U.A. Western Saharan’s President was denied to grace the meeting because United States does not recognise the existence of his nation. Eritrean President could not be given the invitation letter since his country’s diplomatic relationship with America is in vain.  A U.S. official was reported to have said that President Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwean President, was not invited because he is currently on the list of the Specially Designated National.  And finally Sudanese President, Al Bashir, could not be invited because he is wanted at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges against humanity. United States also recognized his country as one of the countries that sponsor terrorism.

It is, however, important to note that countries like Egypt, Madagascar and Guinea Bissau who were suspended as the AU members due to coups d’etat attempted in 2013, 2009 and 2012 respectively were allowed to attend the summit since they have been reinstated to be the AU members following successful elections in these countries.

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda is among African leaders who were invited to attend the summit, despite the he signing into law homosexuality as a criminal offense. Though the issue of homosexuality in Uganda rekindled heated debate between European nations and United States, Ugandan government decided to sign it into law at an expense of country’s economy. This is because the US and UK decided to lift their financial assistance. President Museveni, however, was reported to have said that the morality of African people

comes first and he could not be deterred by US and UK's move to withdraw their financial support to Uganda.

Sources said the President Uhuru Kenyatta will not meet on one-on-one with President Obama, but he is expected to meet World Bank President to discuss financial assistance to Kenya. President will also meet investors in the States who are will to invest in Kenya. The meeting will come to an halt today, 6^th August.