Kenya took the spotlight at this
year's US-Africa Connect Conference held at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) in Kendall Square.
US-Africa Connect is a premier
platform of strategic engagements and initiatives designed to promote mutually
beneficial cross-continent partnerships between the United States and Africa.
It brings together leaders in
business, government, and innovation to unlock new trade, technology, and
investment opportunities through collaborative frameworks.
Kenya's delegation featured Cabinet
Secretary for Tourism Rebecca Miano, 2025 Boston Marathon Champion John Korir,
and Farisi Premium Maize Flour, a rising brand in the global endurance
nutrition market.
In her keynote address, Miano
introduced The Roosevelt Africa Trail as a visionary tourism initiative
inspired by the 1909/10 Smithsonian-Roosevelt Africa Expedition.
"The project has transformative
potential for Kenya, Uganda, and the broader continent, offering immersive,
conservation-focused travel experiences rooted in cultural and historical
depth," Miano said.
The conference also hosted the Tech
Synergies in Global Marathons panel, where John Korir and his coach Ron Mann
spotlighted ugali, East Africa's maize-based staple, as an essential fuel for
elite runners.
Korir credited his training and
performance edge to this traditional endurance food, emphasizing the deep link
between nutrition and excellence in long-distance running.
Joining them on the panel was Pauline
Ndirangu, Chief Financial Officer of Farisi Premium Maize Flour, a Kenyan
company redefining athletic performance nutrition.
She said Farisi, produced by Farisi
Manufacturing Industry Ltd., has built a reputation for quality through its
farm-to-finish-line approach.
"We are taking the best of East
Africa's natural ingredients and turning them into world-class products for
athletes and health-conscious consumers," Ndirangu said.
She noted that it is about
performance, heritage, and connecting their fields to finish lines worldwide.
Kenya's presence at MIT underscored
the importance of innovation-driven diplomacy and the power of
cross-continental partnerships to elevate African brands, tourism assets, and
heritage into global conversations.
