Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss President Biden hosting Kenyan President William Ruto for a state visit - the first state visit a U.S. president has held for a president of an African nation since 2008.  Last night’s state dinner also marked the designation of Kenya as a U.S. Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA).  This dinner took place during President Ruto’s three-day state visit that coincides with Kenya’s imminent deployment of forces to Haiti, as part of a U.N.-led, largely U.S.-financed effort to try to calm the ongoing humanitarian crisis. 

Why has the United States designated Kenya a MNNA now? Is this elevation an attempt by the Biden Administration to make up for recent failures to engage with the continent? Can the United States do more to increase engagement?

Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.

Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!

https://apnews.com/article/state-dinner-kenya-biden-african-visit-74de529133275da0a146cf61cc211d82 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/2024/05/23/kenya-state-dinner-biden-obama/ 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp4421nx727o 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/05/21/kenya-america-ruto-africa/ 

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/22/kenya-non-nato-ally-status-visit-00159578 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/23/politics/biden-kenya-president-state-visit-china/index.html 

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/national-security-daily/2024/05/23/a-new-military-era-for-the-us-and-kenya-kind-of-00159744 

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@lestermunson

@NotTVJessJones

@jamil_n_jaffer

@morganlroach

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