By Mona Austin
U.S. Pres. Joe Biden set out to "write the next chapter of partnership" with Kenya in a state visit for Pres. William Ruto, the first such engagement with an African nation in over 20 years. The goal of the 3-day visit to the U.S. was to deepen diplomatic relations of 60 years with the country.
"The decisions we make now will determine the course of our future for decades to come," said Biden at the welcoming ceremony.
Biden and Ruto signed many agreements but the one "co-sign" that signified a deeper level in the relationship on the spot was when the U.S. leader said he has recommended Kenya to be a NATO ally. Several funding investment deals from the US were also agreed to and announced Thursday afternoon. Biden announced he is going to ask Congress to make Kenya the first country to receive funds from the SHIPS and Science Act.
But we’re providing $250 million -- the United States is -- to the World Back in a crisis-response window. In the coming weeks, the United States is going to make an additional $21 billion available to the International Monetary Fund.
And today, I’m proud to announce there’ll be $250 billion in new lending capacity from multilateral development banks like the World Bank to help low-income nations invest in their development and tackle growing challenges.
The trip included meeting House Speaker Mike Johnson, a trip to Atlanta where Ruto met with the CDC for an initiative on AIDS prevention and concluded with . an elaborate Afrocentricly tailored state dinner organized by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden's team. At a joint press conference in the afternoon Biden announced the Nairobi-Washington Vision and a 21 billion dollar investment in the East African Nation He said that Kenya will be the fist country to tap into the Chips and Sciences Act, undergirding their desire to expand technology and blanket the country with full internet access. In return Kenya is leading in security in the region and standing in agreement with the U.S. on a variety of geo-political affair in the horn of African as well as globally. Kenya was one f the first to support Ukrainians in the war against Russia and recently agreed to send police support Haiti to address gang corruption. The U.S. also aims to topple China as the leading trade partner in Kenya.
Former Pre. Barak Obama whose birth father is from Kenya made a cameo appearance at the reception but departed before the dinner. In the afternoon he met with Ruto privately to discuss a range of business topics from technology growth to safety.
“We reviewed opportunities available to Africa’s young and dynamic demographic in tech, innovation, higher and technical education,” said President Ruto according to the Kenya Times.
In the evening a state dinner boasting a guest list of 500 was held under the stars in a tented area.
Celebrities in attendance included Sean Penn, Levar Burton, NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell and Rev. Al Sharpton. Former President Bill Clinton and former Sec. of State hillary Clinton were among the guests in attendance.
The dinner was the sixth and most elaborate state dinner presented by the Biden White House.
