[captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] pres. biden: good afternoon, everyone. please, have a seat. mr. president, six decades ago, when kenya was declairing its independence, president lyndon baines johnson wrote a letter from our nation to your, and he said, may the responsibilities of freedom wake the best that is in you.

today, we mark 60 years partnership between our democracies, and we're fulfilling that wish together and we're continuing. i truly believe it has brought out the best in both of us, not only in kenya and america, but around the world, it has had a positive impact. through our partnership, we're continuing to meet our responsibilities in four key areas. first, i'm proud to announce we're working with congress to designate kenya a major non-nato ally. that's a fulfillment of years collaboration, our joint counterterrorism operations have degraded isis and elle shabab across east africa, our mutual support of ukraine has rallied the world to stand behind the uferl u.n. charter, and our work in haiti is paving the way to security. i want to thank you for kenya's leadership for the support mission in haiti. our new partner, global

partnership, will build on all this progress. we're going to met new -- meet new challenges with more resources. it's going to strengthen the security of our countries and countries around the world. second, we're keeping our -- keepenning our economic cooperation. both president ruto and i are focused on our growing economies, growing them from the middle out and the bottom up. when that happens everyone wins. not the top down. when the middle class does well, the poor have a ladder up and the wealthy still do well. that's true in kenya, it's true in america and it's true around the world. right now in many country, debt stands in the way of growth too. many nations are forced to make a choins between development and debt. between investing in people and paying back creditors. today we're launching what we're calling the nairobi-washington vision. it will bring together financial institutions and nations from

around the world to mobilize resources for countries saturdayled with debt, to open more opportunities for the private sector financing, to promote transparent, sustainable, affordable lending practices. these are big goals. it's going to take time see lasting progress. we're providing $250 million, the united states is, to the world bank in a crisis response window. in a few weeks we'll make another $21 billion available to the international monetary fund. today i'm proud to announce there'll be $250 billion in new lending capacity for multilateral development thanks to the world bank to help low income nations invest in their development and growing challenges. this is supported by the united states and many other countries as well. next, we're launching a new era of technological cooperation between the united states and kenya. that mean us in partnerships, new partnerships with industry, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and cyber security.

new initiatives to expand affordable internet all across east africa. through education programs that will bring kenyan students to the united states to study in the stem fields. i'm proud to announce that i'm working with congress to make kenya the first country in africa to receive funding through the chips and science act which has served us well. this funding will link their supply chains to the united states and to our partners. and spur innovation and extend from silicon valley in california to silicon savannah in kenya. which by the way is already a $1 billion tech hub. finally, we're ensuring democracy delivering for our people. that includes kenya's diaspora community here in the united states. two years ago, the nation's first black vice president, vice president kamala harris, launched the nation's first presidential advisory council on african diaspora engagement.

today we're building on her work to strengthen long standing bonds between our people. i want to thank you, mr. president, for taking action to implement the long-awaiting public benefits organization which provides historic protections for civil society and n.g.o.'s across kenya. like you, i believe the future will be won by countries that unleash the full potential of their population including civil society, women, and young people. i look forward to working together to implement this act and jump start anti-corruption reforms to promote democratic values that bind our nation together. let me close with this. taken together, these are responsibilities kenya and america must meet in the years ahead. meet them together. as partners. for security, for prosperity, for unnovation, and most importantly for democracy. but i know these responsibilities will wake the best inous. i know it will not only bring our nations together but i want to thank you again mr. president

for being here and knowing we have even bigger dreams and cooperation for our country. the floor is yours. president ruto: thank you, mr. president. i want to in a very, very sincere way thank you, mr. president, for inviting me to make this visit to the united states on behalf of the people and government of kenya. i also take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude for the warm welcome we have received on arrival and the excellent hospitality of the american people. my visit provides us, mr. president, with the opportunity to celebrate 60 years of bilateral relations rooted in shared values of freedom, democracy, rule of law, equality and inclusivety. my visit takes place at a time when democracy is perceived to be retreating worldwide.

the drift toward regime indifference to democratic values is of deep concern to us. i believe it is time the u.s., working with kenya, deploys its capabilities and rallies like-minded democratic countries to search out the cause of democracy. during our discussion we agreed on the significant opportunity for the to us radically recalibrate its strategy and strengthen its support for africa, as discussed at the u.s.-africa leadership summit, by enhancing its investment in the institution of african integration and increasing support for peace and security. as we take these historic steps of elevating our partnership to be more effective in addressing global challenges, it is important for us to appreciate that many countries in africa,

including kenya, are struggling with an overwhelming convergence of multiple shock, including extreme climate events, and the disruptive upheaval in europe and the middle east, whose cumulative impact is to divert national resources from investment in people and economic growth into managing climate influenced crises and sovereign debt. for this reason i have underscored the imperative for our partnership to facilitate recovery from these multiple crises and particularly for the united states of america to take a leading role in a comprehensive debt resolution work by doubling contributions to the concessionary financing window of the world bank and also to work with the i.m.f. on

rechanneling to institutions like the africa bank to have leverage to support countries. unless this is done, and done immediately, the values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law are in great jeopardy. peace and security in the horn of africa and the other region, i express optimism that kenya and the u.s. will innovatively design appropriate defense and security to help kenya and other states and the region in general to deal with the peace and security challenges that are undermining human well being, slowing down development, and also having a negative impact on democracy. with have found our mutual commitment to the stabilization of haiti through the

multinational security support mission. the kenya-u.s. climate and clean energy industrial partnership we have just committed to is an encouraging milestone on our collective journeys and built on the paradigm shift we have inaugurated at the africa climate summit in nairobi last year. accordingly, africa's potential is a huge opportunity to deploy u.s. technology and investment to catalize unprecedented growth through green industrialization. we also agreed to hasten the renewal of the africa growth and opportunities act to sustain the rising miami um of our investment and exports. similarly, we agree to sustainable green growth by facilitating our strategic trade and investment partnership

alongside the renewal. during our discussion, i witnessed firsthand president biden and the u.s. government determination to make our partnership work and resolve to spread and deepen the roots of freedom, democracy, security, and prosperity throughout the world. as my visit comes to a close, i am confident that our engagement has laid a solid foundation for us to continue the work, the good work we have begun, with stronger faith and greater hope for success because in joe biden, kenya, and africa have a strong and committed friend. i thank you. pres. biden: thank you, mr. president. you do have a friend. and you know, africa has a billion people, the idea of ignoring it makes no sense at

all. first question. michael wolner, mcclasp chi. reporter: thank you, mr. president. two questions, if i may -- pres. biden: no, one. reporter: i'll do my level best. on haiti and on israel. your administration went on a worldwide search for security forces, bangladeshi, canadian, chilean, any but american force, to stand up this multinational security support mission for hay hey tee before kenya stood up to lead. can you explain why it is that you believe on the one hand that this mission is so critical and on the other why it is that you have categorically ruled out contributing u.s. forces to this effort? is it your goal to contain them? and on israel -- reporter: one question. i'll answer your question. -- pres. biden: one question. i'll answer your question. the question with regard to

haiti. we concluded that for the united states to deploy forces in the hemisphere raises all kinds of questions that can be easily misrepresented by what we're trying to do. and be able to be used by those who disagree with us against the intres of haiti and the united states. so we set out to find a partner, or partners, who would lead that effort, and we would participate in it, not with american forces but with supplies and making sure they had what they needed. and so, you know, i'm very grateful for president ruto's leadership here. multignat -- multinational effort but kenya's willingness matters. you're not the only country but you're leading this effort. there's going to be u.s. forces not only the ground. we're going to supply logistics, intelligence and equipment. some equipment has already arrived. and kenya is stepping up with police and other countries plan to do as well. the united states is going to support the collective efforts here.

and of course kenya won't be going it alone. we're working with congress to provide $300 million to m.s.s. mission and additional $60 million for equipment assistance. we have receive and are continuing to bring major contributions from other partners in as well. president ruto and agree the -- agree the haitian people deserve better, they deserve peace and security and i thank him for taking on this responsibility. we have his back there all the way. reporter: i do have a question for you, president ruto. before i do, i do very briefly have a question on whether the united states has any evidence at all that would substantiate the i.c.c. prosecutors' specific allegations against israeli leaders that they are using starvation as a tactic of war in gaza or exculpatory evidence for that matter. and if you would commit to

releasing that information before any potential issuance of i.c.c. arrest warrants. and president ruto, as a mission that kenya is about to lead in haiti is obvious a support mission and is well known, the fact is that haiti's national police have been internationally funded and trained for some time. nevertheless have obviously failed to keep back these gangs. will kenyan forces in partnership with the m.s.s. be out front in the fight against these gangs? or will they be a static force behind the h.n.p.? and are you concerned about casualties among the kenyan forces? president ruto: thank you very much.

the responsibility of peace and security anywhere in the world including in haiti is a collective responsibility of all nations and all people. who believe in freedom, self-determination, democracy and justice. the reason why kenya took up this responsibility, because we have been participating in peacemaking and we have been participating in peacekeeping. over the last 40 years. in 47 countries. including very difficult neighborhoods. like what we're going to face in haiti. we are going to take up that responsibility alongside the haitian police and we have clear modus operandi, how we're going to relate with the situation on the ground that has been agreed under the united nations framework. so we are looking forward to

this deployment because we believe that the women and children in haiti deserve peace. like all other women and children and people around the world. pres. biden: on the i.c.c., you guys never keep the deal, but that's ok. we made our position clear. on the i.c.c. we don't recognize their jurisdiction. the way it's been exercised. and it's that simple. we don't think there's an equivalence between what israel did and what hamas did.

you are committing to another foreign war. you are committing kenya to haiti, can you explain that? pres. biden: very easily. there's a reason why afghanistan has been known as the graveyard of empires. likelihood of anybody uniting afghanistan is highly, highly, highly unlikely. number one. number two, there are ways to control isis other than occupying afghan stafnlt it was

an unnecessary need. now with regard to haiti. haiti is in a part of the caribbean that's very volatile. there's a lot going on in this hemisphere. we're in a situation where we want to do all we can without us looking like america once again is stepping over and deciding this is what must be done. haitians are looking for help as well as the folks in the caribbean looking for help. and so we checked out with a number of other countries, the one that stepped up was haiti. we committed to provide whatever quality intelligence and equipment and the like to tai hey tee. it's a logical thing. you have a first rate capability and you keep your word. that's an important dynamic. president rut -- president ruto: aagree with president biden but kenya's

participation in haiti is not so much about what happened in the past. it's about what we believe in. the peace and security of humanity. and we don't find that the u.s. is committing kenya. because the u.s. cannot commit kenya i am the president of kenya. it's me. to make that decision. and if the people of kenya to commit their own troops, using their own structures, we've gone through the processes in kenya, parliament has approved, we have a clear mandate, we have a clear mark, and it is us, the people of kenya, who make this position in the interest of peace and stability, as a responsible global citizen, and understanding that insecurity, instability anywhere, is insecurity and instability everywhere. pres. biden: and by the way you

asked about -- you implies we weren't doing anything anywhere else. we're kind of occupied around the world but we're also engaged in the congo. in that neighborhood. and you know, the united states is the largest humanitarian donor providing $375 billion in humanitarian funding just this year. to support more than six million displaced people from the d.r.c. we are engaged in more than one place. reporter: a followup to my question, dr. ruto. do you think kenya is committed, you sate it's built on humanitarianism, but can you explain the geopolitical goals, how they have not opened because of the bandit problem but you are committing to haiti when

this has been one of your major manifestos, talking about security and even the defense secretary talked about the deployment if need be, the kenya military to make make sure it is in areas that are abundant in kenya. why are you committing to haiti when we have a problem back home? are you -- it is an irony when you're fighting a fire elsewhere when our own home is on fire. president ruto: i made a commitment to the people of kenya to stamp out insecurity in the region. i have followed that. there are 3,000 military occupiers in the region, 2,000 police officers, we have renovated the first 15 schools and reopened 20 schools that were closed in the region and

that exercise is ongoing. we have made tremendous progress. in making sure that we clear security at home. but that does not take away our responsibility, even as we were employing troops and policemen in our own country in north kenya to snuff out the banditry problem, we feel deployed 1,000 troops to the congo because that is our neighborhood. we have 5,000 troops in somalia, because equally, that sour responsibility. and haiti should not be an exception. that's why deploying a thousand security known haiti speaks to the same belief and commitment to peace and security. pres. biden: next question, from april ryan.

reporter: mr. president, president biden, president ruto, thank you. when you talk about haiti, president ruto, you said haiti is a collective responsibility for all nations. for you, mr. president, president biden, president ruto, do you believe that these nations can break the back of this militia that has gripped the nation there and also when it comes to congo, thank you, mr. president, for bringing up what the united states is doing for the congo, especially as that flag is behind you at morehouse, mr. president, could you tell me what the african union is doing as well as kenya is doing when it comes to the president biden: what was your question? reporter: your question was haiti. can the united states and kenya or the nations collectively

break the back of this coordinated grip on the nation? president biden: yes. the very way we are doing it. we are not talking about any thousand person army. this is a crisis. able to be dealt with and we can deal with this in a multinational approach with haiti leading the way and providing intelligence as well as equipment. president ruto: gangs and criminals do not have nationalities. they have no religion. they have no language. their language is one, to deal with them family. [indiscernible] and we are building a coalition

of nations beyond kenya and the united states. many who are making contributions to us tore secure that country and to break the back of the gangs and the criminals that have visited untold suffering in that country the e.u., the african community have seized that are kenya had 1,000 troops in haiti. we now have another 800 not in haiti -- but another 800 troops -- [indiscernible] >> we are having a meeting of the east african community and

my minister, my foreign minister, we had a conversation and shortly we will be looking at how to begin the dialogue process and nairobi process because we believe there is no military solution going on but instead dialogue should be able to give up the necessary momentum and outcomes that will settle the matter. both the e.u., east african community know that much. we know that the humanitarian crisis has displaced close to 7 million people and i want to thank the united states of america for spepg in with humanitarian support for that region because it is a

collaboration of different countries in different ways to gain in that situation without committing troops. we are committing -- deploying our infrastructure to facilitate the resolution. let me ask nancy from kenya. reporter: africa is leading the way in its contribution to the world bank development system and developing countries -- [indiscernible] president ruto: -- president biden: i didn't catch all your question. >> america is asking to lead the way and national development

assistance to help developing countries to access financing -- [indiscernible] president biden: remains a major commitment. the united states has long championed financial institutions that provide to countries. and my administration designed new initiatives and providing low-cost funding and taking steps to enhance their resilience and important partners in africa to make sure they have the capital to invest. we heard them and stand with them. that's why we work with congress to enable the united states to make available in the coming weeks up to $21 billion in new funding resources, trust fund that provides lending to the

poorest countries. and when you are in debt having to find someone to help you out. we believe supporting friends and this partnership is happy and happy to do our part. and look, we have doubled our commitment to the idea and i am proud the united states the biggest donor and proud to be working along side with kenya address their investment needs. there is debt and growth and you have to deal with the debt before the growth and trying to use lending organizations to provide that capability so people can grow. that's what it's about.