The state visit, the first for an African leader in 16 years, will start on Monday in Atlanta.
The President is expected to make a strong case for Kenya as Africa’s top and most strategic investment destination.
He will urge multinational companies in the US to take advantage of the irresistible trade and investment options in Kenya that range from ICT, e-mobility, agriculture, infrastructure, housing, renewable energy and carbon markets.
President Ruto's message is clear: “This is a golden opportunity for you to bring your investments to Kenya. We have modelled Kenya as an irresistible investment destination."
Among other issues, the President will highlight Kenya as the first African country to give priority to low-carbon resilient investments, the first market in Africa to list a private sector green bond and the first market in the world to list a mobile retail bond.
He will also emphasise that Kenya is on the path to transitioning to 100 per cent renewable energy and has committed more than Sh110 billion ($840 million) in Green Investment Fund.
Worth noting to would-be investors is that Kenya has the most vibrant and business friendly environment in Africa coupled with the most efficient tax and supply chain regimes.
Moreover, Kenya has adopted a diversified investment model to unlock industrial potential of the 47 counties.
Referred to as County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, the programme provides for “one county, one chamber, one product” model.
Each county will establish an industrial park to conduct and incubate businesses.
With this wide base of investment opportunities, Ruto will pitch for American investors to leverage on the diverse economic programmes and invest in Kenya.
Kenya will also showcase its high and growing Internet penetration and digital technology, infrastructure that facilitates e-commerce and innovation.
Undeniably, Kenya has become one of the United States' closest allies in the continent as the two countries strengthen six decades of diplomatic, political and economic ties.
Last September, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Kenya is headed in the right direction.
He praised Ruto's leadership, saying under him, the country has become a champion of climate action, regional peace and security.
Blinken said Kenya has demonstrated maturity in democracy, setting a good example in Africa.
“Kenya has made strides in curbing corruption and abuse of public resources. The steps being taken to tackle corruption in Kenya are commendable," he said when he met Ruto in New York.
These glowing political and economic credentials will be on the President’s agenda with investors in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the top 10 largest cities in the US with vibrant tourism, star-lit creative economy and a booming tech sector.
Ruto will meet and hold talks with the Mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens.
He will also visit the headquarters of the US Centre for Disease Control where he will be seeking to advance collaboration between Kenya Medical Research Institute and the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
For more than four decades, the partnership between the two institutions has been at the forefront of bolstering Kenya's public health infrastructure, facilitating groundbreaking research and deploying interventions that have significantly reduced the burden of infectious diseases.
At the headquarters of Coca-Cola company in Atlanta, President Ruto will hold talks with the firm’s CEO of Beverages Africa Sunil Gupta.
The President will welcome Coca-Cola’s multi-million investment in Kenya in the next five years.
He will assure the company of the government’s commitment to a stable business environment “that is conducive to economic growth and innovation”.
The tour of Atlanta will not be complete without what has been described as a “special and unprecedented” meeting with top American captains of industry and business leaders. This will be the first for an African President.
Present at the event will be Coca‑Cola Company chairman and CEO James Quincey, Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian and GE Aerospace chairman and CEO Henry Lawrence Culp Jr.
At the meeting, Ruto will outline Kenya’s comparative advantages that guarantee profitable growth, remarkable expansion and handsome prosperity of American businesses.
Of these advantages, Kenya's prime geo-political location as the gateway to Africa and a key strategic ally to the US takes pride of place.
Kenya's ambassador to the US Lazarus Amayo said the state visit, the second after President Mwai Kibaki’s in 2003, is “very significant”.
Amayo said it is the highest expression of bilateral ties between the US and Kenya.
“It will offer us an opportunity to expand our trade volumes besides adding value to them,” he said.
Six years ago, US and Kenya elevated their ties to a strategic partnership.
The two countries also established strategic dialogue that gave priority to economic prosperity, trade and investment, democracy, governance, regional issues and public health.
Amayo says the world's foremost economic power has dedicated three days this week - Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - to Ruto.
He said the visit will help Kenya make a global pitch.
“It will be a unique platform for Kenya to reach out to other parts of the world as an investment base.”
