U.S. President Joe Biden will announce plans to designate Kenya as a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally of the United States today, coinciding with Kenyan President William Ruto’s state visit, the White House said. Kenya will be the first sub-Saharan African country to receive this designation, reflecting the strengthened defense partnerships between the two nations in Africa and beyond, including collaborative efforts in Haiti.
During their bilateral talks, the leaders are set to discuss a range of economic and security issues. In addition to defense cooperation, U.S. officials are focusing on enhancing tech partnerships, with aims to secure funding for Kenya through the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act. This would mark Kenya as the first African country to benefit from the act, an unnamed U.S. official told Bloomberg.
President Ruto will join President Biden in addressing the press today and will be honored with a state dinner tonight. Ruto’s extended visit underscores U.S. commitments and strategic goals in Africa, according to U.S. officials. President Biden emphasized the initiation of “a new era of technological cooperation” between the two countries, encompassing partnerships in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, clean energy, and semiconductors.
