Kenya to become ‘major non-Nato ally’ to US as Biden rolls out red carpet for president William Ruto

President Joe Biden will notify Congress that he is designating the Republic of Kenya a “major non-Nato ally” signifying the East African nation’s growing role on the world stage as he hosts Kenyan President William Ruto for astate visit.

A senior administration official who briefed reporters on Mr Biden’s plans said the decision was part of an administration-wide effort “towards elevating and really acknowledging that Kenya is already a global partner of ours”

The designation is one that the US government grants to nations outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation with which it has “close and strategic working relationships”. Kenya will be the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to receive such a designation.

The official said Mr Biden’s decision is evidence of one of the major themes of Mr Ruto’s visit, which will be the first state visit by an African leader since 2008. That theme, they said, is Kenya’s “growing leadership worldwide”.

“Kenya has moved from a partner for us who we partner with on regional issues, to a partner with whom we partner on global issues and to solve global challenges,” the official said, citing Kenya’s government having “raised its’ hand when not a lot of other actors did” to assume a leadership role in the multinational security force that is set to be deployed to Haiti to quell months of civil unrest there.

“We’ve been partnering with Congress to provide $300 million to support Kenya’s mission in Haiti so they’re definitely not going alone. But we do see this as a mark of their global partnership for us,” the official added.

Mr Ruth’s arrival in Washington for the state visit marks six decades of formal relations between Washington and Nairobi. It comes nearly three years after Mr