Kenyan President William Ruto's visit to the White House marks a pivotal moment in the evolving relationship between his country and the United States. It is the first state visit by an African leader to the US in 15 years, highlighting Kenya's growing significance in East Africa's geopolitical landscape.

Since gaining independence in 1963, Kenya has been a strategic US ally. Although the relationship has encountered challenges over the decades, there has been notable improvement in recent years.

"Since President Ruto came to power two years ago, things have gotten much better. This visit speaks to the growing importance of this partnership," according to Ebenezer Obadare, a senior fellow for Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"Kenya has always been a strong ally of the US back to the period right before independence," Ken Opalo, an Africa specialist and professor at Georgetown University told DW.

However, he noted that the "low levels of trade between the two countries" have proven a weak link — a gap the proposed Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) aims to bridge by enhancing commercial relations and laying the groundwork for........

© Deutsche Welle