Uhuru & Biden Phone Conversation
President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Joe Biden talked on phone on Thursday evening, in their first conversation since Biden was elected as the US President.
According to a statement from the White House, President Biden affirmed the importance of the strong United States – Kenya bilateral relationship.
President Uhuru Kenyatta & Joe Biden on Regional Security
The American president also talked about the US continued commitment to working closely with Kenya, in the area of supporting regional peace and security. This includes at the United Nations Security Council where Kenya was elected by Africa as a non-permanent member.
In the conversation, Kenya was also applauded for its leadership in the Horn of Africa region, and its commitment to counterterrorism. This is mostly about the country’s peace efforts in Somalia. Kenya’s commitment to economic growth, addressing climate change and sustainable development was also discussed.
The worsening humanitarian and human rights issues in Tigray region of Ethiopia was also discussed. President Kenyatta and Biden talked about the need to prevent further loss of life, and also how to ensure humanitarian access.
The two leaders committed to further cooperation on various bilateral and multilateral subjects of mutual interest.
Kenya – US Trade Agreements
A statement from Statehouse Kenya said that Uhuru expressed confidence that the conclusion of the ongoing negotiations for a Kenya-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will strengthen the strong economic ties between the two countries.
Kenya is the fourth largest trading partner of the US in Africa. The two countries launched the FTA negotiations in July 2020, and hope to reach a comprehensive trade pact that other countries in Africa can emulate.
The two countries are also likely to continue with the agreements that began during the administration of President Barack Obama.
Late last year, President Kenyatta congratulated Biden for his win against Donald Trump in the US elections.