Press briefing on Ruto’s State Visit to US to be held this afternoon

 

President William Ruto with the First Lady Mama Rachel and the US President Joe Biden with First Lady Jill Biden

Kenyans will this afternoon be briefed on the upcoming historic State Visit to the US by President William Ruto and First Lady Mama Rachel this week.

State House Press Secretary Emmanuel Talam sent out an invite to media houses on Saturday evening, indicating that the presser will be held at Harambee House at 12.30 pm.

President Ruto will visit Atlanta, Georgia from May 20 to 21 before heading to the White House on May 23.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has officially extended a warm welcome to the Kenyan leader.

“The City of Atlanta is proud to announce the May 20-21, 2024, visit of President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto of the Republic of Kenya…On behalf of our great city, it is our honor to welcome President and First Lady Ruto to Atlanta,” Dickens said in a statement. “I look forward to learning how we can further strengthen our cultural and economic partnerships, as well as joining fellow leaders in providing the world-class hospitality for which Atlanta is renowned.”

Ruto will be the sixth head of state – after the leaders of South Korea, France, India, Australia and Japan – to be accorded a state visit during the Biden presidency.

The visit will strengthen the shared commitment between the two countries to advance peace and security.

“The upcoming visit will mark the 60th anniversary of U.S.-Kenya diplomatic relations and will celebrate a partnership that is delivering for the people of the United States and Kenya,” said the White House.

The leaders will discuss ways to bolster our cooperation in areas including people-to-people ties, trade and investment, technological innovation, climate and clean energy, health, and security.”

Atlanta

Ruto will be hosted by Mayor Dickens and is scheduled to meet with civic leaders and luminaries from Atlanta’s global services industries, creative economy and international health institutions.

He and Dickens will also discuss “strategies in the development of affordable housing.”

Ruto and Rachael will then travel to Washington, DC to meet with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House on May 23 to mark 60 years of diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Kenya.

“On behalf of the people and government of the Republic of Kenya, I convey my deep appreciation to President and the First Lady of the United States of America, for undertaking to host me at the White House, during a State Visit to the United States of America on May 23rd 2024,” said Ruto in February upon receiving the invite.

“I look forward to engaging with President Biden on a broad range of matters of mutual interest to our nations, not just in terms of sectors of economic, political and diplomatic spheres of endeavour, but also with respect to our shared commitment to the fundamental values which define the strong policy convergence and robust strategic alignment of our enterprises, peoples and governments,” he added.

By Margaret Kalekye