Kenya's President William Ruto left for Beijing yesterday to attend the Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, from which, according to media reports, he will emerge with a new loan of around €350 million, which will add to Kenya's already heavy debt burden with China, which amounts to almost €7 billion.
This is Ruto's first intercontinental trip since the street protests, which ended almost a month ago, broke out in the country by the so-called ‘Generation Z’, the young activists, bloggers and influencers, artists, students, professionals and many ordinary middle-class people fed up with taxes and corruption.
Ruto himself stated over the weekend that his presence in the East was necessary ‘to seek prospects for development’.
Ruto will not be the only head of state to attend the high-level summit that will focus on improving the China-Africa partnership. The forum brings together all African countries with the exception of the Kingdom of Eswatini.
It is the main multilateral coordination mechanism between African countries and China and has been considered by these countries as a platform for cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative since 2018.
Discussions include green energy and internet connectivity, as well as political strategies.
According to national media reports, China has offered Kenya a lifeline to the severe economic times that resulted from the protests, with the cancellation of the finance bill. in the form of a 40 billion shilling loan.