United States – Kenya: a phone call from Biden to Kenyatta with very symbolic significance
US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta.
© AP Photos / RFI editing
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Joe Biden and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta had their first official telephone exchange this Thursday evening since the inauguration of the American head of state.
A very symbolic appeal.
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With our correspondent in Nairobi
,
Albane Thirouard
The two presidents affirmed the importance of the bilateral relationship between their two countries, especially in terms of cooperation for peace and stability in the Horn of Africa as well as the fight against terrorism.
The two heads of state notably mentioned the crisis in the Tigray region, in Ethiopia, and the urgent need for easier access to humanitarian aid.
A telephone exchange that is part of the continuity of a solid strategic relationship between the two countries.
It is a very symbolic appeal for Kenya and the United States.
In Nairobi, commentators see it as a positive signal about the importance of the relationship between the two countries.
On the security front, the United States is a major ally for Kenya.
The American forces participate in particular in the training of the Kenyan defense forces.
The US government has mostly invested over $ 300 million in the fight against terrorism in the country over the past 5 years.
Kenya is also a strategic ally for the United States.
He is one of the guarantors of stability in the Horn of Africa.
Kenya has sat on the United Nations Security Council since January.
It could therefore be called upon to play an important diplomatic role in the region.
Finally, the interest is also economic for the two countries.
President Kenyatta hopes in particular to be able to finalize with the Biden administration a free trade agreement, which negotiations began last year.
The US government is seeking to reaffirm its position in the country in the face of the growing presence of China.
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United States
Joe biden
Kenya
Uhuru Kenyatta