Why Wasn't the U.S.-Africa Summit Held in Africa?
Wednesday marked the last day of U.S. efforts to strengthen ties with Africa through the first-ever U.S.-Africa summit, for which nearly 50 African heads of state traveled to Washington, D.C. While the summit seems to have gone smoothly, some have asked an uncomfortable question: Why wasn't a meeting of 50 Africans and one American president held in Africa?
In March, Kenyan political columnist Mukoma Wa Ngugi compared Barack Obama to a father summoning his children; the White House’s invitation, he said, was an insult and the only way to right this condescension would have been for all the heads of states to boycott the summit and have Obama attend an African Union meeting instead.
(Read the rest on Slate Magazine)
