Washington rolled out the red carpet for Kenyan President William Ruto this week.

The two countries are marking 60 years of diplomatic relations.

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The visit is also important for broader United States-Africa relations.

Washington appears to be playing catch-up on the continent.

China has invested heavily in infrastructure in numerous African countries, and Russia has increased its military presence in West Africa after a series of coups in recent years.

So can Washington fulfil its new promises? And how could African countries benefit?

Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault

Guests:

Stella Agara – governance and security analyst who specialises in youth development

David Shinn – professor of international relations at George Washington University and former US ambassador to Burkina Faso and Ethiopia

Nicodemus Minde – researcher with the East Africa peace and security governance programme at the Institute for Security Studies