President William Ruto on Thursday, September 26, held a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York, USA.
According to the U.S. Department of State, Ruto and Blinken reviewed the strategic partnership and collaboration between Kenya and the United States.
Blinken also thanked President Ruto for Kenya’s leadership of the Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti and for Kenya’s role in promoting regional peace and security in Africa.
"I just want to again thank you for Kenya’s remarkable leadership of the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti. I was in Haiti a couple of weeks ago and saw for myself Kenya’s leadership on the ground. But there and in so many other regional challenges in Africa, Kenya is playing an absolutely essential leadership role.
"For our part, we look forward to continuing our own discussions about how we can work together even more, particularly to help support your economic programs and economic growth, as well as the important work for the Kenyan people," Blinken remarked.
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On his part, President Ruto thanked Blinken for the friendship between Kenya and the United States.
He also thanked the U.S. for the support in the peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
"I want to thank the U.S. for the immense support that we have received in terms of equipment and support at MSS and everything else you are doing around our continent, your support in South Sudan, what you are doing in DRC. And I will be looking forward to a conversation around those issues and to see how our partnership can help drive some of the solutions in those areas," President Ruto stated.
On Thursday, September 26, the Head of State disclosed that Kenya is set to deploy more police officers to Haiti in a bid to attain the target of 2,500 officers by January 2025.
Addressing the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ruto appealed to UN member states to stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti.
"I appeal to all member states to stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti by providing necessary support, either directly to MSS contributing countries or through the UN Trust Fund.
"I must emphasise, however, that Kenya will deploy the additional contingent towards attaining the target of all 2500 police officers by January next year. The progress so far made in Haiti demonstrates that what was once deemed mission impossible is indeed a present and undeniable reality," Ruto stated.
