Kenya Is Recognized As A Leader In Africa's Digital Transformation By Commerce Secretary Raimondo

Posted on : Friday , 17th May 2024

President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) members were recently led by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to Nairobi, where she announced a number of business agreements with American companies as well as a historic partnership with Kenya to support digital upskilling, enable data flows and utilise artificial intelligence. The agreement, which is the first of its type with an African country, expands on the United States' cooperation with friends and partners to support the responsible and safe development and application of artificial intelligence.

Raimondo declared, "The Biden Administration is fully committed to Africa." Because of their leadership in the digital transformation and to show the U.S. business community's dedication to commercial potential in Kenya and throughout the continent, I decided to make Kenya my first official trip to Africa.

In a meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto, Secretary Raimondo echoed this sentiment and praised his efforts to establish Kenya as Africa's digital powerhouse. The two also talked about ways to improve cooperation between the United States and Kenya on digital policy and to better coordinate their approaches to artificial intelligence.

Along with Minister Eliud Owalo, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, Secretary Raimondo attended the AmCham Business Summit: U.S.-East Africa Trade & Investment Forum. There, she and Owalo released a statement discussing bolstering the digital economy, encouraging innovation and boosting digital trade and investment between the United States and Kenya. Secretary Raimondo also made announcements during the summit regarding public-private partnerships and private sector commitments to increase community access to vital internet infrastructure in Nairobi, Kenya and throughout Africa.

In addition, Secretary Raimondo unveiled two Department of Commerce projects: an African Women Digital Leaders Training programme and a data protection partnership with African partners. The latter programme will train, network and provide mentorship with the U.S. tech sector for the next generation of African women leaders in the tech industry by bringing them to Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C.

Secretary Raimondo met Rebecca Miano, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry, during her visit. They talked about ways to expand bilateral commercial ties in a number of areas, including clean technology and green energy, two areas in which Kenya leads the continent. She also had meetings with other African trade and digital ministers, with whom she talked about how to promote an inclusive, equitable, moral and sustainable digital future for the United States and the world community.

As the United States gets ready for President Ruto's State visit to the country this month, the Secretary's trip expands on the Department of Commerce's Africa strategy, which was unveiled by Deputy Secretary Graves at the AGOA forum in South Africa last autumn. This strategy laid the groundwork for a mutual commitment to fortify the commercial and investment ties between the United States and Kenya.