Obama To Become First US President To Visit Ethiopia

Written by Staff

Jun 20, 2015

U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Ethiopia next month, becoming the first sitting American leader to visit the African country and the headquarters of the African Union.

The White House said the visit to Addis Ababa will come after a previously announced trip to Kenya.

While in Ethiopia, Obama will meet with government officials and hold talks separately with leaders of the African Union.

Obama’s trip to his father’s homeland of Kenya will also be his first as president. He previously went to Kenya before winning the White House, including a visit while he was a U.S. senator.

The president is due to attend the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, an event that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, governments and other organizations to boost living standards around the world.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement that the purpose of the trip was to “accelerate economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, and improve security” in Africa.

Both Kenya and Ethiopia have been important security partners with the United States in the fight against the Somali militant group, al-Shabab.

Some human rights groups are questioning Obama’s visit to Ethiopia, noting that it comes so soon after a contested election.