President William Ruto has revealed details of a recent telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the bilateral relations between Kenya and the United States.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday night February 6, 2025, President Ruto said the discussion centred on key issues of mutual interest, including the ongoing security mission in Haiti and regional stability in Africa.
“I had a telephone conversation with United States Secretary of State @SecRubio. We reviewed bilateral relations between Kenya and the US and reaffirmed our mutual commitment to strengthening our existing cooperation.
“Our discussion confirmed that the United States has specifically exempted its support for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti from the broader pause on federal assistance, recognising the critical need to sustain momentum for the mission and its role in stabilising Haiti and restoring order,” Ruto stated.
The MSS mission in Haiti, spearheaded by Kenya, aims to restore law and order in the Caribbean nation, which has been plagued by escalating gang violence and political instability.
Earlier, the US Embassy in Nairobi emphasized that the Trump administration remains steadfast in its backing of the mission.
The embassy’s post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday amplified a message from the US Embassy in Haiti, underscoring continued American financial and logistical support for the beleaguered Caribbean nation’s security efforts.
The US Embassy in Nairobi noted that the new Secretary of State Marco Rubio had reaffirmed America’s commitment to the Haiti mission in his telephone call with President William Ruto.
Kenya has committed to deploying a contingent of its security forces to lead the multinational effort, a move that has received strong backing from the United States and the United Nations.
DRC conflict
In addition to Haiti, Ruto and Rubio also discussed security concerns closer to home, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The conversation touched on the forthcoming joint meeting between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC), scheduled for February 7 and 8 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The meeting is expected to bring together regional leaders to deliberate on the ongoing instability in eastern DRC, where armed groups continue to threaten peace efforts despite multiple diplomatic interventions.
Both Kenya and the US have been actively engaged in efforts to mediate conflicts in the region, with Kenya playing a lead role in peace negotiations under the EAC framework.
“Secretary Rubio and I also discussed regional peace and security in Africa, particularly the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including the upcoming joint meeting between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC), scheduled for tomorrow and Saturday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,” President Ruto stated.
President Ruto’s conversation with Secretary Rubio comes at a time when US-Kenya relations remain a focal point in Washington’s broader engagement with Africa.
The Trump administration’s recent pause on certain federal aid programs has raised concerns about the impact on African nations, but Kenya’s role in the Haiti mission appears to have been prioritized as an exception.
Kenya’s involvement in international security efforts has bolstered its diplomatic standing on the global stage.
Ruto’s administration has emphasized Kenya’s readiness to contribute to international peacekeeping and security stabilization efforts beyond its borders.
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