Kenya: The stakes are high for Kenya as ‘Uncle Sam’ decides

Which political party brings the most benefits to Kenya when it is in power in the United States?

As the Americans headed to the polls last night, Nairobi, some 10,000 kilometers away, was keenly interested in the outcome, as it would continue or alter relations between the two countries.

Donald Trump, the incumbent, is seeking to win his second term against former Vice President Joe Biden.

Both have said little about their African policies, perhaps noting how low the continent ranks on its foreign policy agenda.

Trump never visited Africa in his first term. Biden indicated that the United States would continue to defend and work with all allies that support American interests.

However, Africa still has key allies of the United States, especially in the fight against terrorism, which both Republicans and Democrats have supported as a priority for national security.

“With the United States, any engagement with Africa or other regions has been America first,” George Mucee, Practice Leader for Fragomen-Kenya, a migration consulting firm in Nairobi, told The Nation.

“What matters is the how? Trump is a frank person, while Biden may be kinder, but firm in implementing US policies,” Mucee argued in an interview Tuesday.

In his first months in office, Trump made a controversial comment about Africa being ‘shit’, as well as initially blocking citizens of specific countries from entering the United States, allegedly for security reasons.

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Those same reasons may have defined your leadership type. But Mucee argues that he also showed that he will support allies who can help with his policies.

“Trump is very important to national security and anyone who helps promote the security of his country is a friend. Kenya has benefited immensely from security funding to help fight terrorism.”

Last year, the US and Kenya signed an updated Security Governance Joindt Country Action Plan aimed at “enhancing bilateral cooperation in civil security, governance and anti-corruption efforts,” according to a State Department dispatch in May 2008. last year.

That means the United States continues to support Kenyan refugee hosting programs, as well as support for health, education and security.

In August 2018, Presidents Trump and Uhuru Kenyatta, in the White House, established the framework of the Bilateral Strategic Dialogue, elevating their bilateral relations to a ‘strategic partnership’.

This meant that the approach had to be two-way, based on “shared values, mutual cooperation and a common vision of free, open and safe societies,” a law firm said at the time.

Last year, in May, the then foreign CS Monica Juma signed a Bilateral Strategic Dialogue Framework with the United States Under Secretary of State, John J. Sullivan, to prioritize economic ties and investment opportunities.

However, this may only be indicative of America First’s policy, rather than deepening the friendship.

Ahead of the elections, some 4,200 young people from 12 African countries, including Kenya, this week cited the United States as an influential country on the continent despite the challenge posed by China.

The survey commissioned by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation (IFF) and conducted by PSB Research (an affiliate of the WPP Group), interviewed youth from Kenya, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal , South Africa, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

It found that 74 percent of young people consider the United States to be influential and 83 percent of this category think that influence is positive.

Yet Trump himself was rated highly by just six percent, nearly half of what the Obama-Biden administration had. Still, two in 10 of the group surveyed indicated that it could rise in popularity if it won the second term, perhaps suggesting a deeper focus on the continent.

Trump’s predecessors had started or continued aid programs like the President’s Emergency Response to AIDS Relief (Pepfar), which was established by George W Bush) to support HIV / AIDS patients in Africa. The plan injected money for education and humanitarian support into Africa.

Biden and Obama also started the Young Africa Leadership Initiative, which aimed to instill values ​​of governance among young people.

Trump, for his part, has been more enthusiastic about trade ties. He launched Prosper Africa, an initiative aimed at countering China and establishing channels for American companies. It came from the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act of 2018 (BUILD Act), which changed the previous Overseas Private Investment Corporation into the U.S. Development Finance Corporation, a $ 60 fund. billion.

In Kenya, it started talks for a trade deal that critics say could expose Kenya to a damaging trade imbalance.

Last week, the United States Ambassador to Kenya, Kyle MacCarter, said that Kenya and the United States need a Free Trade Agreement to clear up the uncertainty that may arise after existing trade agreements under AGOA expire in 2025.

“It makes sense for the United States to seek such a partner for the first modern FTA in the region,” he wrote in The Nation, arguing about the risks to Kenya as the region’s largest economy if it did not have a trade deal.

“To do that, we must look beyond Agoa to negotiate an agreement that will stimulate economic growth throughout East Africa. The first round of negotiations began on July 8 and the second this month.”

A bulletin from the South African Institute for Security Studies indicated that a Biden presidency may at least bring to Africa a “respect” not seen in Trump’s remarks.

“All of this shows that American Democrats are generally considered better for Africa than Republicans. But this can also lead to complacency,” said last month’s report, referring to past Democratic failures, such as failing to intervene in the genocide of Rwanda during the Bill Clinton years.