WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden has named Kenya as a Major non-NATO ally of the United States.
Biden announced the designation on the day Kenyan President William Ruto started a State Visit to the U.S. to deepen ties between the two nations. His visit marks 60 years of official U.S.-Kenya partnership.
'I am making this designation in recognition of Kenya's many years of contributions to the United States Africa Command area of responsibility and globally and in recognition of our own national interest in deepening bilateral defense and security cooperation with the Government of Kenya,' Biden said in a notice of intent sent to the Congress.
'The designation will demonstrate that the United States sees African contributions to global peace and security as equivalent to those of our Major Non-NATO Allies in other regions,' he added.
The 'Major Non-NATO Ally' designation is granted to countries with close and strategic working relationships with the U.S. military and defense civilians.
Kenya is one of the U.S. Government's top counter-terrorism and security partners in sub-Saharan Africa, and its first major non-NATO ally in the region.
Kenya has one of the largest U.S. Foreign Military Sales portfolios in Africa. 150 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles from U.S. Excess Defense Article stocks are projected to arrive in Kenya in September, the White House said.
The United States and Kenya are launching the Nairobi-Washington Vision.
The U.S. State Department is working with Congress to commit $1 million in foreign assistance to Kenya to promote resilient semiconductors supply chains, build secure and trusted ICT ecosystems, and complement U.S. domestic manufacturing capacity.
In summer 2024, for the first time, the Kenya Defence Forces have candidates starting courses at the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
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