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As the United States prepares for a change in leadership following Donald Trump’s election as the 47th President, Kenya’s economic engagements with the U.S. are expected to remain steady, according to Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.
Addressing questions surrounding the implications of the U.S. election outcome on Kenya-U.S. relations, Mbadi assured that Kenya’s economic and policy ties with the U.S. would not see significant changes.
He also responded to a query on whether Trump’s presidency would impact Kenya's prior discussions with the U.S., especially regarding debt support raised during President William Ruto’s State Visit to the U.S. in May.
Mbadi emphasised the continuity of American foreign policy, particularly in relation to Africa.
“If you look at the American policy, it usually doesn’t change much whether the White House is won by a Republican or a Democrat.
"The policy around Africa, policy around economic engagement, usually remains stable, so I don’t expect any significant shift,” Mbadi stated.
He congratulated the American people on the election outcome, noting, “Whether that was my wish or not is immaterial. It was a decision of the American people.”
Mbadi highlighted that Kenya’s primary interaction with the U.S. occurs through multilateral channels such as the World Bank, where U.S. contributions indirectly benefit Kenya and other African nations.
This reliance on multilateral rather than direct bilateral support means that changes in the U.S. administration generally have limited impact on Kenya’s economic assistance and support.
"Our current engagement with the U.S. government is more at the multilateral level. The American government supports more the World Bank, making contributions through which we receive assistance,” Mbadi said.
“Even bilateral engagements would not be impaired or interfered with because of the outcome of the elections,” he added.
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Kenya’s ongoing collaboration with the U.S. in areas like trade, security, and economic support is anticipated to continue smoothly, with no major disruptions from Washington’s political transition.
President Ruto’s administration has worked to strengthen Kenya’s standing with the U.S., including May’s visit to discuss financial cooperation and economic stability.
Despite Trump's return to the White House, Mbadi’s statement indicates confidence in the robustness of Kenya-U.S. ties and the continued economic engagement expected to support Kenya’s development agenda.