Raila Odinga, a candidate for the African Union Commission chairmanship, visited the IBM research institute in Armonk, New York, on Thursday, September 26. He remarked that the facility exemplifies future technologies that could elevate Africa. “With innovative advancements, infrastructure projects, and unprecedented investment potential, Africa stands on the brink of a remarkable era,” he stated.
Raila is in New York alongside President William Ruto, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Blue Economy and Mining CS Hassan Joho, Senator Ledama Olekina, and Environment CS Aden Duale for the ongoing 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
The conference aims to address specific issues through dedicated agenda items or sub-items, and it forms part of Kenya’s diplomatic efforts to garner support for Raila from African heads of state.
His visit to New York is also a crucial part of his campaign for the AUC top position, with elections set for February 2025. He has been engaging with various African heads of state attending the meeting as he intensifies his bid for the chairperson role.
Raila faces competition from Djibouti Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Youssouf for the position. Former Kenyan Ambassador to the US Elkana Odembo, who is leading Raila’s campaign, emphasized that the opposition leader will reach out to all stakeholders in his pursuit of the AUC chairmanship.
Notably, fifty-four African countries are participating in the UNGA, which comprises a total membership of 193 countries.
