President William Ruto of Kenya touched down in Atlanta on Monday, May 20, 2024, kicking off a three-day state visit to the United States that is expected to be a significant diplomatic milestone.
Ruto, accompanied by his wife, First Lady Rachel Ruto, was greeted at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport by a delegation of high-ranking officials, including Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Defense Chief Aden Duale, and Health Minister Susan Nakhumicha.
The group also included Governors Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay), Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos) and Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga).
The visit marks Ruto’s maiden State visit to the United States as President and is expected to be a key opportunity for the two nations to strengthen their bilateral ties and explore new areas of cooperation.
The President is expected to engage in high-level talks with senior administration officials and business leaders, with a focus on advancing mutual interests and fostering economic growth.
Kenya and the United States have long enjoyed a strong relationship, with cooperation on issues such as security, trade and development.
The visit is seen as an opportunity to further deepen this partnership, with a focus on areas such as infrastructure development, healthcare and education.
Ruto’s itinerary
State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed shared Ruto’s itinerary ahead of his visit.
On Monday, Ruto visited the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum to emphasise Kenya’s shared commitment to governance and anti-corruption efforts.
He later visited the Ebenezer Baptist Church to pay homage to the civil rights struggle and thereafter headed to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) headquarters to discuss the US-Kenya health partnership.
The day ended with Ruto and first lady Rachel Ruto being hosted by the Kenyan diaspora in Atlanta.
On Tuesday, President Ruto will visit Spelman College to emphasize the importance of higher education in science and technology, followed by a visit to Tyler Perry Studios to explore opportunities in the creative economy.
He will also visit the Coca-Cola company to forge new investments and launch Vivo’s inaugural store. In the evening, he will attend a dinner hosted by Atlanta’s mayor, Andre Dickens.
On Wednesday, President Ruto will travel to Washington, D.C., where he will be accorded full ceremonial state honours and meet with a congressional delegation. He will also hold discussions at Capital Hill.
On Thursday, President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto will lay a wreath at Arlington Cemetery to honour dead American soldiers and other historic figures. They will also hold a bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden to highlight development opportunities.
Before you go…how about joining our vibrant Telegram and WhatsApp channels for hotter stories?
Telegram: https://t.me/k24tvdigital
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaKQnFUIXnljs50pC32O
