US, Kenyan presidents to hold bilateral meeting

WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden on Thursday told visiting Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, before their bilateral meeting, that the United States is committed to improving ties with Kenya and other African countries.

"I'm committed to further elevating our ties with Kenya and nations across Africa as a whole. But Kenya is key to this," Biden said.

Biden said the upcoming meeting with Kenyatta will cover security issues in the Horn of Africa, strengthening financial transparency, accelerating economic growth, and dealing with climate change.

He also told Kenyatta that the United States will make a one-time donation of 17 more million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the African Union and send more vaccines to Kenya by the end of the year.

Kenyatta welcomed US additional donations of vaccines, noting the African continent is lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of vaccination.

Kenyatta is the first African leader to visit the White House since Biden took office in January.