President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto have arrived in New York, United States for the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). They touched down on Sunday, September 20, 2026, ahead of a busy week that will see Kenya take its place at the international stage with several engagements lined up for the president and his delegation.
During his visit, President Ruto will advance Kenya's investment drive, unlock more African and global capital, and strengthen Africa's role in shaping the global digital and AI economy. He will also seek new partnerships while strengthening existing ones across different priority areas, including energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, health, agriculture, and technology to create jobs, expand productive capacity, and open new markets.
According to a statement released by State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, Ruto will participate in a series of high-level forums to advance Kenya and Africa's interests. He will co-chair roundtables hosted by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) alongside industrialist Aliko Dangote. The meeting will focus on the planned KSh2.2 trillion ($17 billion) East Africa Refinery in Lamu, a 700,000-barrel-a-day project expected to create more than 60,000 jobs and strengthen regional energy security.
President Ruto will also co-lead the AI Middle Powers Initiative with his Finnish counterpart, Alexander Stubb. This initiative enables countries to combine computing resources, data, and talent to build AI capabilities. Additionally, he will advance the Africa Development Bank-backed AI 10 Billion Initiative, which aims to mobilize up to $10 billion by 2035 for investment across Africa. The initiative aims to position the continent as a builder and producer across the AI value chain.
On the sidelines of the UNGA, President Ruto will engage Heads of State and Government, multilateral institutions, and global corporations to expand trade, investment, and diplomatic cooperation. He will also engage the Kenyan diaspora in the United States as the Government advances a Diaspora Investment Platform to channel diaspora capital into productive investment at home.
President Ruto will articulate Africa's priorities and concerns, championing reforms that will unlock more African capital for infrastructure and enterprise. In his UN General Assembly address, he will champion an Africa-financing-Africa approach. With Africa holding more than $4 trillion in domestic savings and assets, Kenya will call for reforms and international guarantees to unlock more African capital for infrastructure and enterprise.
President Ruto will also sign a global declaration and roadmap on child online AI safety alongside leaders from Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Furthermore, he will launch an Africa Resilience Compact using AI, satellite earth observation, and predictive technologies to strengthen preparedness for El Niño and other climate shocks.
Key points
- President Ruto will co-chair roundtables on the planned KSh2.2 trillion East Africa Refinery in Lamu and co-lead the AI Middle Powers Initiative.
- The President will advance the Africa Development Bank-backed AI 10 Billion Initiative to mobilize up to $10 billion by 2035 for investment across Africa.
- President Ruto will champion an Africa-financing-Africa approach and call for reforms to unlock more African capital for infrastructure and enterprise.
