Date: Friday, 26 February 2021
US President Joe Biden wants Kenya to use its position as chair of the African Union Peace and Security Council to help end conflicts in Ethiopia and Sudan.
In the first formal telephone call with President Uhuru Kenyatta since he took charge, Mr Biden pledged a lasting partnership, and a focus on regional peace and stability, taking advantage of Kenya’s membership of the UN Security Council.
A call readout shared by the White House said the two leaders vowed to strengthen their bilateral relations especially on matters affecting the Horn of Africa.
“The President affirmed the importance of the strong US-Kenya bilateral relations. He also emphasised the United States’ continued commitment to working closely with Kenya to support regional peace and security, including at the United Nations Security Council,” a dispatch from the White House said of the Thursday call.
President Biden, who spoke to President Kenyatta in December and promised co-operation on security, refugees, climate change and other challenges, made the call as Kenya prepares to chair the AU security council in March.
He commended Kenya’s leadership in the Horn of Africa and its “commitment to counter-terrorism, economic growth, addressing climate change, and sustainable development.”
