President William Ruto has commenced his State Visit to the United States, starting with a packed schedule that includes a democracy talk at The Carter Center.
Ruto, who is accompanied by First Lady Racheal, and a host of other top dignitaries, including Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, arrived in Atlanta, Georgia where he was welcomed by top US dignitaries, including US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman.
The chartered jet carrying the Kenyan leader and his entourage landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at 5:30 PM Kenyan time (10:30 AM US time), where he was greeted with song and dance before being escorted to his hotel.
Other Cabinet Secretaries accompanying the Head of State on the State Visit include Aden Duale of Defense and Susan Nakhumicha of Health.
The President is also joined by Governors Gladys Wanga of Homa Bay and Wavinya Ndeti of Machakos among other dignitataries.
President Ruto's first engagement was a talk at The Carter Center, where he spoke about democratic values and anti-corruption efforts in his government. His remarks underscored the importance of democracies working collaboratively to tackle global challenges.
"This visit is historic as it is the first State Visit by a Kenyan Head of State in two decades and the first by an African Head of State since 2008," stated State House Spokesman Hussein Mohamed ahead of the visit.
The highlight of the president's visit will be bilateral talks with his host, President Joe Biden, at the White House on Thursday.
Before this key meeting, the Kenyan leader will visit Ebenezer Baptist Church to honor the civil rights struggle, emphasizing the respect for historical struggles for equality and justice.
The day's third engagement will focus on the U.S.-Kenya Health Partnership at the CDC Headquarters, where key announcements, including a new CDC-KEMRI partnership, will be made.
Later, the President and First Lady will be hosted by Kenyans living in Atlanta, highlighting the diaspora's role in national transformation. On the second day, President Ruto will visit Spelman College to discuss the critical role of higher education in enhancing Kenya's human capital development, which is crucial for attracting investments.
At Tyler Perry Studios, President Ruto will explore opportunities within the creative economy, highlighting the sector as a major job creator. He will then visit Coca-Cola to announce new investment partnerships and launch VIVO's inaugural store in America, showcasing the power of Kenyan women entrepreneurs.
The President will also meet with Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta and the Atlanta CEO's Council to position Kenya as a regional manufacturing hub. On Wednesday, May 22, the President and First Lady will travel to Washington, D.C., where they will be officially received with full ceremonial state honours.
In Washington, President Ruto will engage with a bipartisan congressional delegation, meet the Black Congressional Caucus, and hold discussions with a Bipartisan Caucus of the Senate. He will brief legislators on the challenges faced by democracies in Africa and urge Congress to extend the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA).
President Ruto and the First Lady will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery to honor American soldiers and historic figures who have impacted Kenya's history. He will then hold bilateral meetings with President Biden to discuss Kenya-US economic, health, and security partnerships, and regional developments.
The visit will conclude with a State Dinner at the White House, celebrating the enduring friendship between Kenya and the United States. On Friday, May 24, President Ruto will engage in strategic meetings focused on trade, investment, and digital cooperation, including a breakfast meeting at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a digital roundtable hosted by Vice President Harris. The visit will end with a visit to the Pentagon to highlight the Kenya-US defense partnership.
Hussein Mohamed emphasized that the visit demonstrates the robust partnership between Kenya and the United States, marking 60 years of strong diplomatic ties. During this period, Kenya and the United States have enjoyed deepening and mutually beneficial cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels, culminating in the elevation of the relationship in 2018 to a Strategic Partnership.
This strategic partnership establishes a framework for continued Kenya-US Bilateral Strategic Dialogue, anchored on five main themes: Economic Prosperity, Trade, and Investment; Defense Cooperation; Democracy, Governance, and Civilian Security; Multilateral and Regional Issues; and Health Cooperation.
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In pursuit of tangible outcomes in these critical areas, President Ruto was graciously invited by US President Joe Biden. The visit, themed "Partnership for Prosperity," aims to bolster shared commitments to economic growth, democratic values, and peace and security, reflecting Kenya's strategic importance to the US as a leading regional anchor and a main commercial gateway to Eastern Africa.
The visit will build on the existing partnership to highlight shared values, including democratic governance, health partnerships, and the promotion of the creative economy. It is also centered on security cooperation for peace, security, and sustainable development, trade and investment for shared prosperity, and digital technology cooperation to foster innovation, progress, and inclusion.
Since December 2022, Kenya and the US have enhanced bilateral and multilateral engagements through participation in the US-Africa Summit, the third Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in April 2023, the National Prayer Breakfast in February 2024, and roadshows in Chicago and New York. These engagements have led to increased investments by US tech companies in Kenya, including Microsoft, Google, Cisco, IBM, Kyosk, and SunCulture.
