US expected to designate Kenya as major non-NATO ally

President Biden will soon designate Kenya as a major non-NATO ally, a senior administration official said.

President Biden will report to Congress to bestow the prestigious title, which comes with special privileges, on Kenya, the official said, acknowledging “Kenya is already a global partner.”

“This is big because it’s our first major non-NATO ally in sub-Saharan Africa,” the official added.

The news was announced during Kenyan President William Ruto’s three-day state visit to the United States this week. President Ruto met with President Biden at the White House on Wednesday.

Only 18 countries are designated as major non-NATO allies. Including close allies Japan, Israel, Australia, etc.

Major non-NATO allies are eligible for benefits such as being considered for U.S.-owned war reserve stockpiles, priority provision of surplus weapons and defense equipment, and eligibility for loans related to cooperative research, development, and testing. .

The designation also comes as Kenya is in a position to lead the deployment of multinational police forces to Haiti, where armed groups have taken over the capital Port-au-Prince, plunging the Caribbean nation into a humanitarian crisis.

An unofficial deployment date scheduled for Thursday may not be met. according to The Miami Herald reports that the move comes amid concerns over the procurement of vehicles and helicopters. The introduction may be postponed to early June.

The official said Ruto and Biden were due to discuss the Haiti deployment on Thursday with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The United States has committed $300 million to support the deployment of Kenyan troops to Haiti and has worked closely with Ruto’s administration on the mission.

“Our focus now is on getting this right and making sure Kenyans get what they need,” the official added.

The armed gangs, which have been rampant across Haiti since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, began cooperating more closely in February, freeing prisoners before taking control of large parts of Port-au-Prince. .

The Kenyan-led deployment was first agreed to last year but was delayed by the collapse of Haiti’s government, which was taken over by militant gangs and a transitional council that has only recently been formed to form a new leadership.

The deployment is expected to help Haiti cope with a worsening humanitarian crisis as the country’s parliament is almost completely closed and aid groups struggle to get supplies, although the recent opening of an international airport could bring some relief.