President Ruto, Rubio put critical minerals at center of Kenya-US talks

President William Ruto and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Monday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, placing critical minerals and commercial ties at the heart of their bilateral agenda. The meeting, held at the Lotte New York Palace, was the latest in a series of high-level engagements that have elevated Kenya’s standing in Washington. “They spoke about how critical minerals opportunities in Kenya can position the country as a key player in the sector while presenting opportunities for US firms to provide value addition,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement. The talks come less than two weeks after senior US officials publicly pledged to help Kenya develop domestic processing capacity.