President William Ruto will meet former US President Barack Obama on Thursday, ahead of the official state reception by President Joe Biden at the White House.
Obama, the 44th US President, has a Kenyan father and has previously visited Kenya as both Senator and President. His last visit to Kenya was in July 2018, after leaving office following Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton.
On Wednesday, President Ruto visited the White House for an initial meeting, where President Biden hosted him for a roundtable on technology and discussed bilateral and multilateral issues.
Following this, Ruto and First Lady Mama Rachel laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the sacrifices of American soldiers and historic figures like Thurgood Marshall and John F. Kennedy, who significantly impacted Kenya’s history.
In their Thursday meeting, Biden and Ruto, along with their delegations, will engage in discussions on Kenya-US economic, health, and security partnerships, as well as regional developments in Africa.
Later, Ruto will deliver a keynote speech on shared climate solutions at the Smithsonian, addressing global environmental challenges and collaborative efforts to tackle them. The day will conclude with a state dinner at the White House.
