NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 — President William Ruto has described his engagement with US President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., as a defining moment in the long-standing strategic relationship between Kenya and the United States.
In a statement following his visit, President Ruto said the discussions “marked a watershed moment in the long, strategic friendship between our two nations,” noting that the renewed partnership reflects clarity of purpose and a shared commitment to “a bold and mutually beneficial course for the future.”
He thanked President Trump and the US Government for what he termed exceptional hospitality and a productive series of engagements that deepened cooperation across health, trade, investment, peace, and security.
“Kenya sincerely appreciates the clarity of purpose, the spirit of cooperation, and the readiness of President Trump’s administration to forge a bold and mutually beneficial course for the future,” Ruto said.
A major highlight of the visit was the signing of the Kenya–US Health Cooperation Framework on December 4 — an unprecedented government-to-government agreement that makes Kenya the first country to receive direct US health-sector investments without routing funds through NGOs.
The new framework commits $1.6 billion (Sh208 billion) over the next five years, channelled directly to government institutions to modernise health infrastructure, strengthen disease surveillance, support emergency preparedness, and accelerate universal health coverage (UHC).
Momentum for UHC
President Ruto, who witnessed the signing by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said the agreement provides strong momentum for Kenya’s UHC agenda by enhancing hospital equipment, securing timely medical supplies, expanding the health workforce, and ensuring insurance coverage for all.
“This gesture of goodwill by President Donald Trump, on behalf of the American taxpayers, reinforces our ongoing mobilisation of domestic resources in the health sector. I assure you that every shilling and dollar will be spent efficiently, effectively, and accountably,” he said.
The President added that the partnership builds on 25 years of US support to Kenya’s health sector — worth more than $7 billion — focused on resilience and impactful institutions.
Secretary Rubio said Kenya was chosen due to its strong and stable institutions, noting that the new model ensures most of the funds benefit national health systems rather than NGO overheads.
“We are not going to spend millions of dollars funding the NGO industrial complex while partners like Kenya have little influence on how healthcare money is spent. If you want to help a country, work with that country,” he said.
Expanded investment
President Ruto said the United States had also shown readiness to strengthen investment in Kenya’s digital economy, green transition, infrastructure, and new value chains.
He highlighted emerging opportunities in manufacturing and expanded market access, saying the partnership will spur job creation and economic growth.
On peace and security, President Ruto lauded the US for its continued support for stability in the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region, and for deeper collaboration in counter-terrorism, maritime security, and conflict resolution.
Secretary Rubio also praised Kenya’s leadership in the Haiti security mission, noting that the transition to a gang suppression force would not have been possible without Kenya’s intervention.
“If we had five or ten countries willing to do half of what Kenya has done, it would be an extraordinary achievement,” he said, urging more global support.
President Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to remain engaged in Haiti and thanked the US for mobilising additional international backing.
He emphasised that Kenya is committed to implementing all agreements reached in Washington and to elevating the Kenya–US partnership into “one of the most consequential and impactful on the continent.”
