Ruto set to visit Silicon Valley during tech-focused tour of US

President William Ruto during the Kauffman Fellows Africa Venture Capitalists Summit in Nairobi on September 11, 2023. [PCS, Standard]

President  William Ruto will be arriving in the United States today for an international visit intended to strike partnerships with the global superpower on technological innovation and climate action.

In a statement to newsrooms, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed stated that President Ruto’s itinerary includes a visit to Silicon Valley in San Francisco, where he intends to engage with key figures from tech giants like Microsoft, Intel, Google, and Apple, among others. 

“The visit aims to enhance investment opportunities and trade relations with the United States, with a particular focus on nurturing Kenya’s thriving start-up sector known as the “Silicon Savannah”,” reads the statement.

The President is also expected to emphasise Kenya’s young talent, green energy initiatives and its value as an alternative supply chain for American companies. Thereafter, President Ruto will attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly session in New York.

The global gathering will assess progress towards the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and address critical global challenges such as the climate crisis and debt concerns in the Global South.

Ruto has in recent months taken centre stage as an outspoken African leader calling out the global lending systems for being “unfair and punitive”, particularly on developing nations.

In New York, will participate in the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit, building on the successes of the recently concluded Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi.