Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently opened his first official visit to Africa in Kenya and discussed the preservation of democracy in various politically and ethnically fractured societies.
"The United States and Kenya partner on multiple global priorities, including ending the COVID pandemic and investing in health, addressing the climate crisis, building a more inclusive global economy, and strengthening democracy and respect for human rights," the U.S. Department of State posted in a news release on its website.
In 2020, the U.S. imported a total of $568.9 million worth of goods from Kenya. It exported $370.8 million worth of goods to Kenya.
The two governments entered into diplomatic relations in 1964, with the bilateral engagement greatly expanding over the last three decades since Kenya returned to multiparty democracy in 1992.
The U.S. provided over $560 million in bilateral assistance to Kenya in FY 2020. Kenya is also a very important military partner strategically because over the period of the last three years, Kenya has bought more than $139 million worth of military equipment from the U.S. The partnership between the U.S. and the Kenya Defense Force includes border security, counterterrorism, maritime security, aviation security, peacekeeping support, and some broader professionalization efforts. Since 2017, the U.S. has provided Kenya $19 million in counterterrorism assistance.
