Barack Obama was the surprise guest at a lavish, 500-person White House dinner on Thursday evening as President Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for Kenyan leader William Ruto, the first state visit by an African leader in nearly 20 years.
The dinner was the largest of the Biden presidency so far with a guest list including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Vice President Kamala Harris, actors LeVar Burton, Michaela Coel and Sean Penn, and multiple members of the Biden family.
Entertainment was provided by country singer Brad Paisley who performed hits like ‘American Saturday Night’, and the gospel choir of Howard University.
The event was held in a “transparent pavilion” on the White House’s South Lawn, and guests dined on a menu that celebrated summer, according to the White House chef.
Former president Obama made a brief appearance at the event, shaking hands and chatting with guests before slipping out the side door as President Biden made his speech.
Mr Biden welcomed the “many members of the African diaspora” at the dinner and name-checked Mr Obama, who had “just left”.
Mr Obama, whose father was born in Kenya and visited the country as president in 2015, met with Mr Ruto earlier that day in Washington, exchanging views on democracy, climate, peace and security challenges in Africa, according to the Kenyan leader’s office.
The dinner turned out to be a family affair for the Bidens. Hunter and his wife Melissa attended the dinner, although she walked the red carpet alone. The president’s grandchildren were also in attendance, including Naomi Biden and her husband Peter Neal, Finnegan Biden and Beau Biden’s daughter, Natalie Biden, who told reporters it was her first time attending a state dinner.
Those who snagged a place at Mr Biden’s table were Minority House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, former president Bill Clinton and former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.
Other notable guests included Singer-songwriter Don McLean, author Barbara Kingsolver, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NBA head, Adam Silver.
Alongside other actors in attendance, other familiar Hollywood faces appeared at the event, such as Wilmer Valderrama and Michaela Coel, who said it was “my first time in Washington — the closest I’ve had to this is ‘Hamilton,’ the musical.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton, a longstanding voice in the Democratic world and former presidential candidate told reporters as he was arriving that “democracy is going to win in ’24” when asked about Mr Biden’s chances against Donald Trump.
He also added that Africa has not been suitably recognised on the global stage, saying that Thursday’s dinner was, therefore, especially important.
It is the first state visit by a leader from the African continent since president of Ghana, John Kufour, was hosted by former president George W Bush in 2008.
According to White House officials, Mr Biden’s aim for hosting Mr Ruto was to shore up bilateral ties with Nairobi, as Kenya increasingly becomes a major player both in Africa and globally.
The evening began with a cocktail reception for guests on the White House terrace, before dining in the magnificent pavilion, featuring, more than 1,000 candles, a suspended centerpiece with 15,000 layered reflective metallic strips meant to amplify the candlelight, and views of the Washington Monument.
The dinner’s first course consisted of chilled green tomato soup, with marinated onions and cucumber marinated in white balsamic vinegar, while lobster poached in butter, along with marinated and lightly smoked short ribs will be served as an entree.
For dessert, the White House executive pastry chef made a homemade white chocolate basket filled with a nectarine paste, a banana ganache, fresh raspberries, and peaches.
Then, performances came from Paisley and the gospel choir, which First Lady Jill Biden told reporters were both selected to honour Mr and Ms Rufo’s “love of gospel and country music”. Both genres can trace their roots to African musical traditions brought to the US by enslaved people.
Before the state dinner even began, President Ruto arrived on Thursday morning an event featuring the US Marine Band and a review of military personnel.
Mr Biden greeted Mr Ruto on the South Lawn, telling the Kenyan leader: “The world is safer when Kenya and the United States work together”.
“Today, I am as optimistic and hopeful as I was those years ago, when Kenyan patriots raised that new flag high in that midnight sky,” Mr Biden said.
“Because Kenya and the United States stand together, committed to each other, committed to our people, and committed to building a better world”.
Mr Biden praised Mr Ruto for what he described as “bold leadership,” and acknowledged the 60-year history of relations between the US and Kenya, dating back to the African republic’s independence from the former British Empire.
In the Oval Office, he said the US-Kenya partnership was not only “delivering for our nations” but “delivering for the world.”
“It’s remarkable. This visit is not just about our histories. It’s about the future,” Mr Biden continued, adding later that there was “virtually no challenge that Kenya and the United States can’t meet together”.
The president notified Congress on Thursday that he is designating Kenya as a major non-Nato US ally, making it the first sub-Saharan nation to receive that designation. Kenya joins a list of non-Nato US allys which includes Israel, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, Colombia and Pakistan.
Mr Biden and Mr Ruto also announced the “Nairobi-Washington Vision”, a call for creditor nations to make it easier for developing nations with high debt burdens to receive assistance.
The pact will also push international financial institutions to coordinate debt relief and support through multilateral banks and institutions providing better financing terms.
Additionally, the White House rolled out $250m in grants for the World Bank’s International Development Association to use for crisis assistance to poor countries.
“Together the United States and Kenya are working together on the challenges that matter most to our peoples lives — health, security, economic security, cybersecurity and climate security,” Mr Biden said.
