By Standard Team

Visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga focusing on the upcoming elections, trade and investment, peace and security in Somalia and the Sudans.

Clinton asked President Kibaki to remain engaged in regional peace and reconciliation efforts even after he retires.

Clinton said the Horn of Africa and the region could benefit immensely from President Kibaki’s 50 years in public office and 10 years of peace mediation as Head of State. Clinton also appreciated the frontline role Kenya continues to play in stabilising Somalia and the region, pledging US’s support to such initiatives. ?

Clinton agreed that the US will support Kenya’s efforts to upgrade the Unep offices, in the spirit of the Rio+20 Conference at the forthcoming UN Heads of State Summit set for New York in September this?year. ?

President Kibaki, on his part, told the US top diplomat that peace and regional stability was key to economic prosperity, an issue that remained close to his heart.

During the discussions, President Kibaki welcomed America’s new strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa unveiled by President Barrack Obama in June this year focusing on the continent’s economic potential to open up new avenues for strategic partnership for prosperity.

Aids pandemic

He expressed gratitude to the Obama administration for extending assistance through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme that has augmented the Government efforts to address the HIV and AIDS pandemic.

And Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who met Clinton separately at his office, thanked the US Congress for extending AGOA deal by another three years, saying the extension has saved thousands of jobs in Kenya.

Raila lauded President Barack Obama’s new Africa strategy and his faith that Africa could be the world’s next big economic success story and its focus on trade and investment on the continent.

Clinton lauded Kenya’s LAPSSET project, stating that it provides huge opportunities for Kenya. She also pledged that the US would review AGOA to see what more can be done to take it to a higher level.

She said the US will work with Kenya to improve security particularly in refugee camps and to help in creating conditions in Somalia that would entice refugees to return home.

During the meeting in State House, Nairobi, the President noted that the insecurity posed by the disintegration of Somalia to Kenya’s economic interests and her people prompted the Government to send troops across the common border.

“Tremendous progress has been made in liberating Somalia from extremist and terrorist forces and we are all looking forward to the end of the transitional period this month,” he said.

The Head of State urged US to positively engage the signatories to the Somalia transition road map on the importance of ending the transitional period and putting Somalia on a firm path to a democratic?and prosperous future.

President Kibaki acknowledged the assistance of the US government at the UN enabling Kenyan troops to join Amisom.

Emphasising that since the country’s troops moved into Somalia, there has not been a single case of piracy, the President once more assured that Kenya will continue to be at the forefront in the fight against global terrorism and piracy along the Indian Ocean Coast.

The Head of State said Kenyan troops together with Amisom forces were making good progress to stabilise Somalia to enable the over 700,000 refugees who have posed serious social and security challenges to Kenya, to relocate back to the liberated parts of their country.

He urged the US to play a lead role and mobilise the international community in the re-construction of a peaceful and secure Somalia.