Stage set for US summit to be attended by 40 African leaders

Washington DC: The US has finalised plans for next week's summit in Washington DC to be attended by African heads of state and government.

White House has confirmed that up to 40 heads of state will participate in the summit on August 6.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to lead the Kenyan delegation to the US.

White House said President Barack Obama will not have bilateral meetings with individual African heads of state.

The conference will be preceded by two days of official summit-related events, with Vice-President Joe Biden chairing some sessions at Capital Hill.

Among core discussions on Kenya will be peace and security and how US can respond to such challenges, including terrorists attacks where "Al Shabab has demonstrated its intent and ability to conduct attacks against targets," the brief prepared for Congress says.

At least 500 of American top business people are lined up to discuss investment opportunities with African leaders.

The Congress and White House will host a bicameral congressional reception for African leaders on August 4 where some Bills currently before the Congress may be discussed, including the extension of the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act when it expires at the end of September 2015.

The US bilateral aid to Africa currents stands at US$7 billion, with a huge chunk going to health, education and emergency humanitarian assistance.

A statement from White House said the Obama administration decided to hold the summit to help find new models of partnerships with Africa.

The summit is also being interpreted as a US response to the increased pace of African economic and political engagement with a wide range of rising economic powers like China, Japan, the European Union, India and Brazil among others.

Nobel Peace laureates Wole Soyinka of Nigeria, the Rev Desmond Tutu, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee are among the invited participants.