President William Ruto has met United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, with the two leaders discussing ways to expand cooperation between Kenya and the US in several strategic areas.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as Kenya seeks to strengthen its economic, technological and security ties with Washington.
Ruto said the longstanding partnership between Kenya and the US is centred on trade, security, technology and development, while highlighting the need for greater economic cooperation.
“We welcome the extension of AGOA, which will strengthen trade between Africa and the United States and expand economic opportunities,” Ruto said.
The discussions also covered emerging technologies, with the two sides exploring cooperation in artificial intelligence and its use in sectors such as healthcare, education and financial services.
Ruto and Rubio further discussed the governance of rapidly developing AI technologies, as well as potential collaboration in critical minerals and nuclear energy.
According to US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, the talks included Kenya’s potential in the critical minerals sector and opportunities for American companies to participate in value addition.
Regional security was another key issue during the meeting, with discussions touching on Somalia, Haiti and Sudan.
Ruto said Kenya and the US discussed continued support for the security mission in Somalia, efforts to promote stability in Haiti and the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
“We discussed sustaining the security mission in Somalia, supporting stability in Haiti, and addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan through efforts towards a ceasefire, political settlement and continued regional engagement,” Ruto said.
Rubio also recognised Kenya’s cooperation with the US in implementing the America First Global Health Strategy, which seeks to establish a new framework for the two countries’ health partnership.
The meeting comes as Kenya continues to pursue stronger economic, security, technology and diplomatic ties with the United States during Ruto’s engagements at the UN General Assembly.
