President William Ruto bid farewell to Marc Dillard, the outgoing U.S Chargé d’Affaires of the US to Kenya, on June 18, marking a key transition at the United States Embassy in Nairobi.
During a meeting at State House in Nairobi, Ruto commended the outgoing U.S. Chargé d’Affaires for strengthening the bilateral ties between Kenya and the US during his tenure.
“We value our strong and mutually beneficial diplomatic ties with the United States,” Ruto stated.
The two reaffirmed their commitment to strong bilateral ties, with a focus on deepening cooperation in trade, investment, security, and the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.
The talks also emphasised support for Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, especially in the creative economy.
“Our discussions reaffirmed our shared commitment to advancing Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” the Kenyan President confirmed.
Raila Odinga’s message
Opposition Leader, Raila Odinga, also acknowledged Marc Dillard’s commitments and the productivity during his tenure in the country as he shared his farewell message.
“We have had productive discussions covering recent developments in Kenya, the United States, and indeed, around the world,” he said.
“I took the opportunity to express my concern regarding the abrupt implementation of certain US policy decisions that can have a significant negative impact on developing nations like ours,” Raila said.
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Raila added that certain US policy decisions can have a negative impact on developing nations like Kenya, that and such policies should consider the unique circumstances and potential repercussions for countries in the Global South.
“Finally, I wished Ambassador Dillard all the very best in his new assignments,” he concluded.
About Marc Dillard
Marc Dillard, who just completed his tour in Kenya as the Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, took over leadership at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi in November 2024, following the resignation of Ambassador Meg Whitman.
In this capacity, Dillard was the acting head of the embassy, responsible for managing U.S. diplomatic relations with Kenya and overseeing one of the United States’ most significant missions in Africa.
During his tenure, Dillard engaged in high-level diplomatic activities, such as meeting with Kenyan officials to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
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In February 2025, he paid a courtesy call to the Inspector General of the National Police Service, Douglas Kanja for a discussion focused on training, capacity building, border security, human rights, counterterrorism, and drug trafficking, among other issues that affected the country.
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