Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto is set to make an official visit to the United States next month, the first since President Donald Trump’s election.Ruto revealed Saturday that he will be travelling to the country to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The Assembly opens September 9 and concludes September 29, with the high-level General Debate scheduled from September 23 to 27. Beyond the diplomatic agenda, Ruto has lined up a series of engagements that place Kenya’s creative and digital economy at the centre of his tour.
He announced plans to meet the Recording Academy, organisers of the Grammy Awards. He intends to persuade them to fast-track the establishment of “world-class recording studios”.
The completion of the studios in the country, he stated, will pave the way for Nairobi to host the first African edition of the Grammys. “The Grammy team has already expressed interest in anchoring their presence within our new Talanta Stadium,” Ruto said.
“I have directed the Ministry of Youth and Creative Economy to move with speed to deliver a truly state-of-the-art creative hub for our artistes, producers, and innovators.”
Ruto said he will also engage with leaders of major global technology companies, including Facebook, Google and YouTube. This is in a bid to expand digital opportunities for Kenyans.
Top on his agenda is pushing for M-PESA integration into Facebook’s payment system to enable seamless payouts for creators, and lobbying Google to allow Kenyans to buy adverts using M-PESA.
“These steps will empower our creators and small businesses, making it easier to monetise content and products online.
While some may doubt, we will respond with real, tangible results that uplift our people,” Ruto added. Most of the major tech companies are located in Silicon Valley, California.
Ruto last visited Silicon Valley in September 2023, where he inked major deals with some of these companies. One notable outcome was Kenya’s inclusion among the few African countries where Facebook monetisation is enabled. The visit by the President unfolds amid a growing diplomatic strain between Nairobi and Washington.
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