President William Ruto at the 1st Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, with African leaders in attendance, September 6, 2023.
© ANDREW KASUKU / ANADOLU AGENCY / Anadolu via AFP
Winning Hearts and Minds Abroad or at Home? Kenya’s Foreign Policy under William Ruto
Megatrends Policy Brief 24, 12.03.2024, 11 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2024MTA-PB24
Research AreasKenya's diplomatic strides in a multipolar world, balancing East and West ties, increasingly face scrutiny at home. This policy brief analyzes the divergent views on President Ruto's foreign policy domestically as well as abroad. What role for non-alignment in an environment of global division?
President William Ruto at the 1st Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, with African leaders in attendance, September 6, 2023.
© ANDREW KASUKU / ANADOLU AGENCY / Anadolu via AFP
Several African countries have defaulted on their debt, and more could follow. Multilateral solutions for debt relief are needed but are complicated by power struggles between the West and China, argue Karoline Eickhoff and Rainer Thiele on the occasion of the Paris Summit.
China is investing in large-scale infrastructure projects across Africa. In Kenya, it has built several of these “mega projects”. While their economic viability remains to be seen, debates on the risks and benefits of Chinese investments and public debt are in full swing. 2022 is not only an important election year in Kenya but also a peak period of debt repayments. In this political climate, Chinese mega projects are either portrayed as symbols of independence and modernity, manifestations of usurpation, or colossal losing deals.
doi:10.18449/2022MTA-PB04
