Jill Biden to visit Namibia and Kenya to strengthen US-Africa relations.

First Lady Jill Biden will embark on a trip to Namibia and Kenya from Feb. 22–Feb. 26 in order to strengthen the United States’ partnerships on the African continent and advance shared priorities in the region, according to a statement from the First Lady’s Office. Biden’s focus in Namibia is on the role of young people in continuing to shape their democracy and advance health cooperation. The country is one of the continent’s long-standing democracies and is classified as free according to Freedom House. Kenya is a partner for the United States on peace and security challenges in Somalia, Ethiopia, and eastern Congo as well as global issues. It is also an attractive destination for U.S. investment and trade relations. Biden’s engagements will focus on the empowerment of women and youth, efforts to address food insecurity, and promoting shared democratic values. The visit is a demonstration of President Joe Biden’s commitment to Africa and its people. The First Lady will meet with her counterparts, Monica Geingos and Rachel Ruto, in Namibia and Kenya respectively. This will be Biden’s sixth trip to Africa as she visited the continent five times when she was Second Lady between 2009 and 2017.