First Lady Jill Biden to Strengthen US-Africa Ties with Visit to Namibia and Kenya Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, is set t...

First Lady Jill Biden to Strengthen US-Africa Ties with Visit to Namibia and Kenya

Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, is set to embark on her first visit to Africa since assuming the role. The trip, which is aimed at strengthening ties between the US and the continent, will take her to Namibia and Kenya, with her stay spanning from Wednesday to Sunday. Her husband, President Joe Biden, is also expected to visit Africa in the near future, alongside other high-ranking US officials.

According to a senior administration official, the purpose of Jill Biden's trip is to reinforce the US government's investments in Africa, with a specific focus on its people, particularly women and young people. The visit is also seen as a demonstration of the Biden administration's commitment to strengthening ties with Africa.

During her visit, the First Lady will engage with various organizations that focus on youth engagement and women's empowerment, including those working to tackle gender-based violence. In Namibia, she will emphasize the role of young people in shaping democracy and advancing health cooperation, while in Kenya, she will focus on food insecurity and the impact of drought in the Horn of Africa.

Jill Biden's visit to Kenya will mark her third trip to the country and her first to Namibia, where she will become the most senior US official to travel to the country since Al Gore, then-Vice President, visited in 1996. The First Lady has previously visited Africa five times as second lady, including a visit to the largest refugee camp in Kenya in 2011, where she witnessed thousands of Somalis fleeing their country.

The Biden administration has expressed a desire to strengthen relationships with African countries at a time when China and Russia have made significant inroads into the region, which boasts some of the world's fastest-growing economies. Last year, President Biden hosted nearly 50 African leaders at the US-Africa Leaders Summit, where he announced billions of dollars in investments aimed at bolstering democracy.

The White House has yet to confirm when President Biden will visit Africa, but the Vice President, Kamala Harris, is expected to travel to the continent in the coming months. One senior administration official emphasized that the US government's policy towards Africa is focused on its relationship with Africans and not defined by China's role in the region.