Kenya’s government announced on Monday that U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s planned visit to Nairobi later this month has been cancelled, following a decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw from the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa. Vance was expected to travel to Kenya immediately after attending the G20 leaders’ meeting in Johannesburg, scheduled for November 22–23, but the White House confirmed that no U.S. officials will take part in the summit.
President Trump announced on Friday that Washington would boycott the G20 over what he called “serious human rights violations” against South Africa’s white Afrikaner minority, a claim strongly denied by Pretoria and several civil rights groups. South Africa’s government dismissed the accusations as “false and politically motivated,” saying it remains committed to equality and constitutional protections for all citizens. In a statement, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the cancellation of Vice President Vance’s visit was “regrettable” but would not affect the country’s strong and enduring partnership with the United States. “Kenya and the United States continue to share deep strategic, economic, and security ties. The postponement of this visit will not alter our ongoing engagements,” the statement read.
The visit was expected to focus on regional security, counterterrorism, and trade cooperation, including ongoing talks toward a bilateral free trade agreement between the two nations. Kenya remains the only African country currently negotiating a direct trade deal with Washington. However, Nairobi has faced growing criticism from U.S. lawmakers over its expanding ties with China, particularly in infrastructure financing and digital technology partnerships. Diplomatic analysts say the cancellation could slow down momentum in Kenya–U.S. relations, but both sides are expected to reschedule the visit in 2026, after the conclusion of U.S. domestic policy reviews on Africa.
