President Ruto arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday afternoon, marking the start of a busy four-day visit to the United States.
Among the dignitaries welcoming him at the airport were Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
The visit, the first by an African leader in 15 years, aims to strengthen ties with the United States and create new investment opportunities.
Statehouse spokesperson Hussein Mohamed announced on Sunday that President Ruto will be traveling from Monday, May 20, to Thursday, May 23. During this trip, he is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden.
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On Monday, President William Ruto is expected to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, where he will visit the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum to underscore the two countries’ shared commitment to governance and anti-corruption efforts.
Later, he will visit the Ebenezer Baptist Church to pay tribute to the civil rights movement and then proceed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters to discuss the US-Kenya health partnership.
The day will conclude with President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto being hosted by the Kenyan diaspora in Atlanta.
On Tuesday, still in Atlanta, President Ruto will start his day with a visit to Spelman College to highlight the importance of higher education, particularly in science and technology, which is crucial for attracting investments.
He will then visit Tyler Perry Studios to explore opportunities within the creative economy and head to the Coca-Cola Company to discuss potential new investments.
President Ruto will also launch Vivo’s inaugural store and, accompanied by Rachel Ruto, attend a dinner hosted by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
On Wednesday, President Ruto will travel to Washington, DC, where he will be accorded full ceremonial state honors. He will meet with a congressional delegation and hold discussions at Capitol Hill.
On Thursday, President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto will lay a wreath at Arlington Cemetery to honor deceased American soldiers and historic figures. Later, he will hold a bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden to discuss development opportunities.
Statehouse spokesperson Hussein Mohamed noted that this gracious invitation reflects the warm relations between the two nations, fostered by partnerships in critical areas such as defense cooperation, democracy, governance and civilian security, health collaborations, and multilateral and regional issues.
“It also underscores Kenya’s strategic importance to the US as the leading regional anchor and the main commercial gateway to East Africa,” Mohamed said.
According to Mohamed, President Ruto’s visit to the US is the first state visit by a Kenyan head of state in two decades and the first by an African president since 2018
