Kenya Insights

Tag: Secretary of State Antony Blinken

  • Details Of Ruto’s Phone Call With Donald Trump Emerge

    Details Of Ruto’s Phone Call With Donald Trump Emerge

    President William Ruto has spoken with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, discussing several key issues.

    Top of the agenda was the Kenya-led peacekeeping mission in Haiti, which Ruto has championed for months.

    “I briefed President Trump on the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti and possible areas of cooperation with the US government on this important conflict-resolution initiative,” said Ruto.

    The two leaders also explored ways to strengthen Kenya-US trade, investment, security, and bilateral relations.

    This call came shortly after Ruto spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the Haiti mission on Thursday evening.

     “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Kenyan President William Ruto on November 7 to thank him for Kenya’s continued leadership of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti as it works with Haitian counterparts to restore peace and security for the Haitian people,” read a statement from Blinken’s office.

    Ruto’s outreach is part of a concerted effort to gain more support for the peacekeeping mission in the Caribbean nation.

    Last month, he urged the international community to honour their commitments to support the Haiti mission, saying there is an urgent need for personnel, logistics, and financial resources to sustain and expand the security mission.

    The talks follow Trump’s election as the 47th president of the United States, raising questions about the future of Kenya-US relations.

    Several trade and security agreements established under outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration now face uncertainty with Trump’s impending leadership.

  • Details Of US Secretary of State Blinken Phone Call To Ruto

    Details Of US Secretary of State Blinken Phone Call To Ruto

    President William Ruto received a call from the White House on Thursday, July 25, amid chaotic protests in Kenya that have lasted for more than weeks.

    An ally of Washington, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, spoke with Ruto over the phone, where he underscored the fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression as enshrined in Kenya’s constitution.

    In a statement issued by his Spokesperson Matthew Miller, Secretary Blinken emphasized the indispensable role of youth and civil society organizations in fostering healthy democracies and urged respect for their vital contributions to Kenya’s development.

    Commending President Ruto, Blinken acknowledged the President’s commitment to accountability for security forces implicated in protest violence or responsible for disappearances. President Ruto’s directive to the police to abstain from any form of violence against protesters was particularly praised.

    The Secretary of State also expressed gratitude for Kenya’s substantial contributions to the multinational security support mission in Haiti, recognizing the country’s commitment to global peace and security.

    Secretary Blinken also reiterated the United States’ steadfast support for the Kenyan people in their efforts to build a more inclusive and prosperous nation.

    The call comes after the Kenyan government wrote to the Ford Foundation demanding answers over funding extended to some organisations in Kenya which the State suspects could have had a hand in the latest protests.

    The government of Kenya listed 16 Non-governmental organisations in connection to the protests.

    The Ford Foundation, however, defended its funding criteria to the organisations even as it maintained its stand against anarchy.

    The Foundation reiterated that while it supports the right of Kenyans to peacefully advocate for a just and equitable country,  they don’t support any acts that advocate violence.

    Kenya’s anti-government protests are in their fifth week. Under pressure, Ruto declined to sign the bill imposing new taxes and dismissed almost all Cabinet ministers, but protesters continue to call for his resignation.

    At least 50 people have died and 413 others have been injured in the protests since June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. The political opposition is demanding that families of those killed be compensated and that charges against those arrested during protests be dropped.

    Police have stopped saying how many arrests they make in the protests. Rights groups, opposition figures and family members for weeks have expressed concern about alleged abductions by officers.

    Police last week banned protests in Nairobi, citing the movement’s lack of clear leadership to coordinate with authorities to ensure safety and security. But the high court issued an order suspending the ban on protests. Kenya’s constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest.

  • Cease-Fire: US Calls On Qatar To Threaten Hamas Leaders With Deportation

    Cease-Fire: US Calls On Qatar To Threaten Hamas Leaders With Deportation

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Qatar to threaten Hamas with deportation from the capital Doha, home to senior Hamas members, in case the group does not agree on a cease-fire and prisoner swap deal to end the war in Gaza, CNN reported Thursday.

    Citing two US officials, the report revealed that Blinken conveyed this message to Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar, in a meeting held on March 5 in Washington.

    The officials said that Qatar comprehended the message and showed no major rebuff.

    It remains to be seen whether Qatari officials conveyed this warning to Hamas.

    Indirect negotiations continue in Doha between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar and Egypt and with the participation of the US, aiming to achieve a cease-fire and a prisoner exchange deal amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

    Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed.

    Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and nearly 74,200 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

    The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

    Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in January issued an interim ruling ordering Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

  • US Secretary Of State Blinken To Start His First Africa Visit In Kenya

    US Secretary Of State Blinken To Start His First Africa Visit In Kenya

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will visit Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal from November 15-20, underscoring the depth and breadth of our relationships with African partners.  During the visit, the Secretary will advance U.S.-Africa collaboration on shared global priorities, including ending the COVID-19 pandemic and building back to a more inclusive global economy, combatting the climate crisis, revitalizing our democracies, and advancing peace and security.

    Secretary Blinken will begin his trip in Nairobi, where he will meet with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Raychelle Omamo, affirming our strategic partnership with Kenya.  The Secretary and representatives of the Kenyan government will discuss our shared interests as members of the UN Security Council, including addressing regional security issues such as Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan.  The Secretary will advance U.S.-Kenyan cooperation on ending COVID-19, improving clean energy access, and protecting the environment.  The Secretary will underscore U.S. support for a peaceful and inclusive Kenyan election in 2022.

    Secretary Blinken will then travel to Abuja, where he will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama and discuss furthering cooperation on global health security, expanding energy access and economic growth, and revitalizing democracy.  The Secretary will deliver a speech on U.S.-Africa policy in the capital of Africa’s largest democracy.  Additionally, the Secretary will engage with Nigerian entrepreneurs in the digital sector.

    The Secretary will conclude his trip in Dakar, where he will meet with President Macky Sall and Foreign Minister Aïssata Tall Sall to reaffirm the close partnership between our two countries.  Given President Sall’s upcoming African Union chairmanship, Secretary Blinken looks forward to discussing regional issues and shared values.  The Secretary will engage in events that highlight America’s strong commercial relationship with Senegal, amplify the role of female Senegalese entrepreneurs, and showcase the U.S. partnership to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.