NAIROBI, Sept 5 (NNN-KBC) — The Africa Centre for the Study of the United States of America (ACSUS) at the University of Nairobi will host a significant conference on Thursday, Sept 25, marking six decades of diplomatic relations between the United States and Kenya.
The day-long symposium, themed 60 Years of US-Kenya Partnership: Reflecting on the Past, Inspiring the Future, will mark the culmination of an extensive year-long academic examination of bilateral ties between the two countries.
The conference comes at a pivotal moment as both nations navigate an increasingly complex global landscape while seeking to deepen their strategic partnership for the next sixty years.
Since diplomatic relations were established in 1964, the US-Kenya relationship has evolved from traditional development assistance to a sophisticated strategic partnership addressing contemporary challenges including digital transformation, security threats and economic empowerment.
“This conference serves as the culminating event of our comprehensive examination of U.S.-Kenya relations,” said Dr Winnie Rugut Programme Lead at ACSUS, which was established in November 2022 to foster intellectual and cultural exchanges that deepen understanding of US-Africa relations.
The symposium builds on an year-long series of panel discussions conducted by ACSUS examining critical thematic areas of the partnership in trade, technology, creative economy, diaspora relations, education and security cooperation.
The conference will bring together high-level participants including the Chief of Mission from the US Embassy Nairobi, the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs from Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, former ambassadors, scholars and representatives from civil society and the respective sectors.
The program features three main sessions designed to provide both historical perspective and forward-looking vision with a focus on diplomatic engagements over the past six decades, people-to-people connections and youth perspectives on the next sixty years of partnership.
With both nations facing shared global challenges, the conference seeks to strengthen existing networks while fostering new collaborations between American and Kenyan stakeholders across a range of sectors. — NNN-KBC
