President Joe Biden has welcomed Kenyan President William Ruto to the White House for a three-day state visit as Kenya prepares to deploy forces to Haiti as part of a U.N.-led effort to address the escalating security crisis in the Caribbean country.
Approximately 1,000 Kenyan police officers are set to arrive in Haiti soon, joining a multilateral security support mission aimed at quelling gang violence. Other countries expected to support Kenyan forces include the Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Chad, and Bangladesh.
A top Biden administration official praised Ruto’s decision to send police forces to Haiti, calling it an “unprecedented undertaking” and a demonstration of global leadership by Kenya. This visit marks the first time since 2008 that an African nation has been honored by the U.S. with a state visit.
“This is a partnership that is deep and broad,” said Jon Finer, White House principal deputy national security adviser. He highlighted that the partnership begins with combating terrorism in Kenya’s own region in Africa and extends to “becoming a net security provider in our own hemisphere” with the deployment to Haiti.
Biden and Ruto are scheduled to hold formal talks and a joint news conference on Thursday, followed by a state dinner. Ruto will also participate in an event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday.
Ruto began his U.S. visit in Atlanta, where he visited The King Center, met NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, and toured Tyler Perry Studios.
The visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Kenya. White House officials indicated that the leaders’ agenda will cover trade and investment, technological innovation, climate and clean energy, health, and security.
Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell mentioned that the two countries would announce “substantial commitments” to boost Kenya’s technological sector. Kenya, which hosts offices for tech giants Google and Microsoft, has positioned itself as East Africa’s technology hub, earning the nickname Silicon Savannah.
This state visit underscores the growing strategic partnership between the U.S. and Kenya, reflecting shared goals and collaborative efforts in addressing global and regional security challenges, economic development, and technological advancement.
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