US First Lady Jill Biden has arrived in the country for a three–day State visit. Jill 72, was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Friday afternoon by First Lady Rachel Ruto, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Abel Mutua, and U.S Ambassador Meg Whitman, among other dignitaries.
The plane carrying Jill jetted at the JKIA at 4;30 pm thereabout from Namibia where she first stopped.
Security was heightened at the airport amid the First Lady’s arrival, with officials sealing off sections of the airport for hours.
Jill held talks with Namibia’s First Lady Monica Geingos and President Hage Geingob.
During her visit to Kenya, Jill is expected to meet her counterpart Rachel Ruto and other senior officials at State House, Nairobi.
The visit is a follow-up to the US-Africa Summit held in December last year and will focus more on strengthening partnerships between the two nations while championing women’s economic empowerment projects.
First Lady Rachel Ruto said Dr. Jill Biden will have an opportunity to learn about table banking, which is championed in the country.
“Dr Jill Biden is visiting Kenya from Friday to Sunday to strengthen America’s partnerships with Kenya and the African continent, and advance shared priorities between America and Kenya.”
The visit by Jill is the sixth to the continent, the third to Kenya but the first as the First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS).
Jill is also expected to hold talks on the drought situation in Kenya among other things.
“I will hear from those affected by the ongoing historic drought and food insecurity, which has been exacerbated by the ripple effects of Russia’s assault on Ukraine,” Dr Biden .
The Standard
