Sen. Marco Rubio, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reportedly canceled his planned diplomatic visit to Ethiopia's Addis Ababa and Kenya's Nairobi. The decision to cancel the trip was confirmed just hours after Kenya's President William Root announced his five-day state visit to China.
According to a report by Africa Intelligence, Rubio's planning tour to the African continent is scheduled to be his first official visit to the region, and was expected to focus on security cooperation and trade relations. However, the visit has been postponed indefinitely and no new dates have been confirmed.
Cancellation has attracted attention in light of ongoing changes in geopolitical alliances and trade relations across Africa. President Root's simultaneous diplomatic involvement with China, Africa's major economic and strategic competitor, raised questions about Kenya's evolving foreign policy priorities and the wider impact on the US influence in the region.
US-Ethiopia Trade Tensions
The now-cancelled visit is also among tense trade relations between the US and Ethiopia. Under former President Donald Trump's administration, Ethiopia was among 185 countries facing severe trade tariffs. These measures were part of a broader policy change that led to the loss of prioritized access to the US market for developing countries.
Starting April 5, 2025, all Ethiopia exports entering the US will be subject to a 10% base rate. This represents an important barrier for Ethiopian companies that once benefited from trade incentives under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which was interrupted by alleged human rights concerns during the Tigray conflict since 2021.
Diplomatic uncertainty and regional competition
Rubio's cancelled trip is seen as a setback, especially for efforts to restore and strengthen our involvement in the Horn of Africa with long-standing strategic partner Ethiopia. Ethiopia's sought new economic allies and deepening ties with countries such as China, Turkey and Russia could widen the diplomatic void left by the United States.
Experts suggest that the indefinite postponement reflects both logistical concerns and deeper uncertainty in the US-African policy agenda, particularly as African countries become increasingly diversifying their international partnerships.
In the current context, this decision indicates that the US may reassert its commitment to Africa amid increasing global competition.
