President Biden suggested Thursday that his decision to have Kenya lead a security mission in Haiti without U.S. ground troops was aimed at avoiding a painful history of U.S. intervention in a deeply troubled country.
President Biden said the United States would donate money, logistical support and equipment as Kenya and other countries work to quell gang violence that has erupted there since the assassination of Kenya’s president in 2021. By not participating, Mr. Biden noted that the United States had previously intervened.
“We have concluded that for the United States to deploy troops in the hemisphere will only raise all kinds of questions that can easily be misconstrued by what we are trying to do,” he told a press conference with President William Ruto at the White House. Kenya.
“We are in a situation where we want to do everything we can without looking like the United States is once again stepping back and deciding this is what needs to be done,” he added.
The history of U.S. involvement in Haiti is a troubled one, including a decades-long occupation from 1915 to 1934 that caused deep resentment among the island’s residents. U.S. troops landed in Haiti again in 1994 after a military coup, a mission that angered more Haitians.
The issue is also sensitive in Kenya, where some have accused Mr Ruto of paying too much attention to crises abroad while problems persist at home. Mr Ruto dismissed questions from a Kenyan journalist on the matter at a press conference.
Mr Ruto said: “We have made tremendous progress in ensuring security in the country. “But that doesn’t relieve us of our responsibilities abroad,” he said.
The mention of the mission to Haiti came as President Biden said he would designate Kenya as a “major non-NATO ally.” This reflects the President’s determination to deepen relations with the East African country as well as with other countries such as Russia and Canada. China is competing to do the same.
Prime Minister Biden, who invited Ruto to a state dinner on Thursday afternoon, said the relationship would enable the two countries to confront issues of health, security, technology and debt.
“These are responsibilities that Kenya and the United States will have to fulfill for years to come. We must meet them together as partners for prosperity, innovation, and most importantly, democracy,” Prime Minister Biden said.
The “major non-NATO alliance” distinction is given to countries whose militaries have strategic partnerships with the United States, but not necessarily mutual defense agreements. Kenya would become the first sub-Saharan African country to receive such a designation.
The diplomatic move and celebration of 60 years of U.S.-Kenya relations are aimed at underscoring Mr. Biden’s commitment to Africa even after he failed to keep his promise to personally tour the continent by the end of the year. year.
President-elect Biden arrived in Washington on Wednesday afternoon and greeted Prime Minister Ruto, telling the Kenyan president, “I plan to visit Kenya in February after I am re-elected.” For months, Mr. Biden’s aides have dodged questions about whether he would travel to Africa during the busy election period.
Discussion of Haiti was at the center of President Biden’s closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Ruto.
Mr Ruto has been criticized at home for his actions against judges, which some said were authoritarian in nature. And he welcomed support from the leaders of Iran, Russia and China, U.S. adversaries whose military, political and economic interests often conflict with those of Washington.
Mr Ruto dismissed the criticism, saying it made sense to establish relationships with many countries where there were mutual interests. Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, told reporters Wednesday that President Biden has not hesitated to criticize the country’s human rights or civil society record.
But “he is not here to lecture President Ruto,” Mr Sullivan added. “In fact, President Ruto is the one who just came to Atlanta and spoke on these issues. And we will invest in Kenya’s democratic institutions, civil society and all sectors of Kenyan life to help ensure that the fundamental foundations of Kenya’s democracy remain strong.”
Mr Ruto’s visit to the White House, the first state visit by an African leader since 2008, was planned to be filled with official meetings and the kind of pomp the president reserved for his closest allies.
Guests can sample traditional tomato soup, butter-poached lobster, fruitwood-smoked ribs and white chocolate baskets. Above guests’ heads will be a centerpiece composed of 15,000 metal strips that will reflect the candlelight of the State Dining Room. Musical guests include the Howard Gospel Choir and country singer Brad Paisley.
But the main purpose of Prime Minister Biden’s visit is to demonstrate that he is committed to building relationships between U.S. and African businesses and governments.
Prime Minister Biden and Prime Minister Ruto held a roundtable discussion with executives to demonstrate Kenya’s desire to expand its role as a technology and commercial hub in East Africa. Already the country is home to $1 billion worth of startups, dubbed the “Silicon Savannah” in reference to the grasslands.
The executives included Ruth Porat, president and chief information officer of Alphabet and Google; Ursula Burns, President of Teneo; This is Kamau Gachigi, Managing Director of Gearbox.
