President Ruto, US Deputy Secretary Hold Talks on Trade, Health and Regional Security

President William Ruto met with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who is on a two-day visit to Kenya, at State House Nairobi and discussed various bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest including Somalia.

The two leaders held talks on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing key regional security challenges.

The discussions focused on areas of mutual interest, including trade, health cooperation, peace and security in the Horn of Africa and beyond.

President Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to deepening its relationship with the United States, describing the partnership as strong and anchored on mutual respect and shared strategic interests.

He highlighted the Kenya–US Health Cooperation Framework signed last year, valued at Sh208 billion, noting that it was the first such agreement globally under the America First Global Health Strategy.

The framework, he said, is a government-to-government arrangement that supports Kenya’s universal healthcare program and departs from the traditional model that channels funding through non-governmental organisations.

“We also discussed our efforts to combat the threats of terrorism and violent extremism in Somalia. Mr Landau underscored the need to reassess strategies employed in Somalia after more than 20 years of these challenges, and how best to support Somalia”, Ruto said.

On trade, the President said bilateral commerce between the two countries remains balanced and mutually beneficial, creating opportunities for private sector growth on both sides. In 2024, Kenya exported goods worth $737 million to the United States, while imports from the US stood at $771 million.

The move comes hot on the heels of a push to renew trade agreements under AGOA.

President Ruto said the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has played a key role in boosting Kenya’s exports to the US by allowing thousands of African products to access the American market duty-free and quota-free. He welcomed the renewal of AGOA for a further three years following its expiry in 2025.

"The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), through which thousands of African goods and products enter the US market duty-free and quota-free, has been significant in increased trade from Kenya and other countries from our continent. Welcomed the US Government's renewal of AGOA, which had expired in 2025, for another three years," added Ruto

While the US House of Representatives had initially passed a bill to extend AGOA by three years (until 2028) in a 340-54 vote, aiming for stability, the US Senate is considering a revised, shorter extension that only extends it until December 31, 2026.

Exports to the US have been since the expiry of AGOA, been putting thousands of jobs on the line, as industries survive on other smaller markets amid high tariffs in the US.

The shorter, one-year extension is part of US’s move to allow negotiations and address concerns within Congress, particularly around the inclusion of South Africa and the desire to move toward a more comprehensive overhaul of the trade programme.