President William Ruto has revealed details of his phone conversation with the United States of America’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
This is the second time Ruto has had a conversation with Donald Trump’s State Secretary, and in their phone call on Saturday, February 22, 2025, the Head of State said they discussed the raging conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“I had a telephone conversation with the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, reaffirming our commitment to strengthening Kenya-U.S. diplomatic ties and advancing shared interests.
“Secretary Rubio and I also discussed regional peace and security, particularly the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We emphasised the crucial role of the EAC-SADC joint-led process in de-escalating tensions and advancing peace efforts. This includes the appointment of facilitators, the implementation of the ceasefire, and the broader political process towards a lasting resolution,” Ruto said in a post on X.
Apart from the conflict in Eastern DRC, Ruto said he and Rubio also talked about the political turmoil in Sudan.
“Additionally, we discussed the situation in the Republic of the Sudan and Kenya’s crucial role in providing a platform for key stakeholders – including political parties, civil society, and other actors – to engage in a process aimed at stopping the tragic slide of Sudan into anarchy and ensuring a pathway towards sustainable peace,” he added.
Ruto’s talk with Rubio comes at a time when Kenya and Sudan are engaged in a diplomatic tiff. The tiff was generated when Kenya allowed the Rapid Support Force (RFS), one of the players in the Khartoum crisis, hold a meeting in Nairobi.
Sudan crisis
While Sudan condemned Kenya, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi defended the country over RSF’s activities in Nairobi.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regrets the Kenyan government’s disregard for its obligations under international law, the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by hosting the event of signing a so-called ‘political agreement’ between the terrorist Janjaweed militia—responsible for ongoing acts of genocide in Sudan—and its affiliated individuals and groups,” Sudan stated then.
Mudavadi’s stance
“The crisis in Sudan demands urgent regional and global attention. With its credentials as an enabler of peace in the region and across the globe Kenya remains at the forefront of seeking solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. As a country, we have committed 2 million USD towards global and regional initiatives to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan,” Mudavadi reiterated in his defence of the Kenyan government.
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