[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 704 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 704
Recognizing the strategic importance of Kenya to the United States and
celebrating the 60-year anniversary of United States-Kenya relations.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 23, 2024
Mr. Booker (for himself, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Coons, and
Mr. Young) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the strategic importance of Kenya to the United States and
celebrating the 60-year anniversary of United States-Kenya relations.
Whereas the United States and Kenya established diplomatic relations on May 23,
1964, after Kenya gained independence in 1963, and have since developed
a strong and enduring bilateral partnership;
Whereas bilateral engagement between the United States and Kenya expanded after
Kenya's historic 2002 general elections, when a coalition of opposition
parties won a majority in both the presidential and parliamentary
elections, ending decades of dominance by the Kenyan African National
Union;
Whereas Kenya took steps to bolster its democratic institutions in 2010, in the
wake of the devastating post-election violence following the
presidential election held on December 27, 2007, by adopting a
transformative new constitution with a bill of rights and new checks and
balances, including a more deliberate separation of government powers
and the devolution of certain authorities to new county governments;
Whereas Kenya has become one of Sub-Saharan Africa's largest economies, a
regional hub for transportation and finance, and a cornerstone of
stability and prosperity in East Africa;
Whereas, in August 2018, the United States and Kenya formally elevated their
relationship to a strategic partnership and established a corresponding
bilateral strategic dialogue, prioritizing 5 pillars of engagement,
including--
(1) economic prosperity, trade, and investment;
(2) defense cooperation;
(3) democracy, governance, and civilian security;
(4) multilateral and regional issues; and
(5) public health cooperation;
Whereas the United States is a major trading partner with Kenya, which is a
leading beneficiary of preferential trade benefits under the African
Growth and Opportunities Act (19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) and a participant
in the Prosper Africa initiative;
Whereas the United States and Kenya entered bilateral negotiations on a future
free trade agreement on July 8, 2020;
Whereas, on July 14, 2022, the United States and Kenya launched Strategic Trade
and Investment Partnership negotiations to increase bilateral trade and
investment cooperation;
Whereas Kenya's dynamic and growing market-based economy offers increased
economic opportunities for public and private partnerships that advance
United States strategic and economic interests;
Whereas Kenya is at the forefront of improving environmental resilience and is a
top tourism destination known for its biodiversity and conservation
efforts;
Whereas, on September 25, 2023, the United States and Kenya signed a 5-year
framework for defense cooperation to guide mutual defense cooperation,
enhance interoperability, and advance shared security interests;
Whereas military-to-military ties between the United States and Kenya have
deepened through coordinating and participating in bilateral and
multilateral military exercises and Kenya hosting United States forces
at Manda Bay;
Whereas the United States and Kenya have worked together to address shared
security and counterterrorism concerns in Kenya and the broader region,
including in Somalia, where Kenya has contributed forces for over a
decade--
(1) to counter Al-Shabaab; and
(2) to support Somalia through the African Union mission;
Whereas Kenya is a key strategic partner in responding to Iranian-backed Houthi
attacks against vessels in the Red Sea through its participation in
Operation Prosperity Guardian;
Whereas in 2011, Kenya re-established the Kenya National Commission on Human
Rights as an autonomous institution to monitor government compliance
with internationally recognized human rights and investigate alleged
human rights violations;
Whereas Kenya has a flourishing civil society that is supported through
constitutional guarantees and a new, more predictable regulatory
environment under the Public Benefits Organization Act 2013, which came
into effect on May 14, 2024;
Whereas Kenya plays a critical role in supporting regional cooperation and
integration as a key member of the East African Community;
Whereas Kenya has volunteered to mediate multiple regional conflicts;
Whereas Kenya has been a leading African voice in multilateral forums, including
during its 2021-2022 term on the United Nations Security Council,
against Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, reaffirming its respect
for Ukraine's territorial integrity and standing in defense of
multilateralism;
Whereas the United States and Kenya have a long history of partnering to address
critical public health crises, including through the President's
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (commonly known as ``PEPFAR'');
Whereas the United States and Kenya have developed strong people-to-people ties
as the foundation for deeper cooperation, as evidenced by--
(1) more than 200 Kenyans participating in United States Government-
sponsored exchange programs each year; and
(2) an average of more than 250,000 Americans visiting Kenya annually;
and
Whereas the diverse Kenyan American community has made critical contributions to
the culture and economy of the United States and forms one of the
strongest bonds linking our countries together: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) celebrates 60 years of diplomatic relations between the
United States and Kenya;
(2) reaffirms the strong partnership between the United
States and Kenya, which is rooted in a shared commitment to
upholding peace, security, and prosperity;
(3) recognizes Kenya's role in regional security, including
maritime security, and its efforts to foster stability in the
Horn and East Africa;
(4) calls for continued cooperation between the United
States and Kenya in promoting, strengthening, and defending
shared democratic values and respect for human rights;
(5) encourages the United States and Kenya to continue to
expand trade and economic cooperation;
(6) encourages Kenya's efforts to improve its business
environment, domestic economic reforms, anti-corruption
measures, and counter-money laundering efforts;
(7) commits to strengthening and deepening diplomatic,
economic, commercial, security, and people-to-people ties
between the United States and Kenya;
(8) encourages the Department of State to look at all
available tools to help address Kenya's debt crisis and counter
economic coercion by the People's Republic of China;
(9) appreciates the contributions of the Kenyan diaspora
community to the United States; and
(10) acknowledges the potential of the bilateral
relationship--
(A) to bring significant benefit to the citizens of
both nations; and
(B) to address security, economic, and
environmental challenges across the region and
worldwide.
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