President William Ruto has held talks with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on expanding Kenya-US cooperation in trade, technology, critical minerals and nuclear energy.
The meeting took place in New York on Monday, September 21, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Ruto said Kenya welcomed the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which he said would strengthen trade between Africa and the United States and create more economic opportunities.
“We welcome the extension of AGOA, which will strengthen trade between Africa and the United States and expand economic opportunities,” Ruto said.
The President said Kenya and the US also discussed opportunities in critical minerals and nuclear energy as the two countries seek to expand cooperation beyond traditional areas of trade and security.
The talks on minerals come as the US seeks stronger partnerships with countries that can help diversify critical-mineral supply chains.
The US has already expressed interest in working with Kenya to develop its mining sector, including through investment and advanced mining technologies.
Ruto and Rubio also discussed expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, particularly its application in health, education and financial services.
The two leaders exchanged views on how rapidly developing AI technologies should be governed responsibly.
Ruto said the talks also covered regional security, including the security mission in Somalia, stability in Haiti and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
On Sudan, the two sides discussed efforts towards a ceasefire, a political settlement and continued regional engagement.
The meeting comes as Kenya seeks to deepen its economic and strategic partnership with the US while positioning itself for greater investment in emerging sectors.
Rubio has also welcomed Kenya’s cooperation with Washington on health, with the US Secretary of State expressing appreciation for Kenya’s role in implementing the America First Global Health Strategy.
The discussions therefore placed trade, emerging technologies, energy and minerals alongside regional security on the agenda of the Kenya-US relationship.
