WATCH LIVE: Biden holds joint press conference with president of Kenya – Washington Examiner

President Joe Biden is set to hold a joint press conference with Kenyan President William Ruto on Thursday at the White House.

The U.S. president and first lady Jill Biden welcomed their Kenyan counterparts at the White House in a state arrival ceremony earlier in the morning.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet Kenyan President William Ruto for a state arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Biden praised Ruto for his “bold leadership” on Thursday, as his visit will mark the 60th anniversary of U.S.-Kenya diplomatic relations and the first state visit to the United States by an African leader in more than 15 years.

The pair of presidents put out a joint statement commemorating the anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations and laid out goals for future diplomacy.

Biden is expected to inform Congress that he will designate the African country as a major non-NATO ally. This designation comes with special privileges.

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This comes as Kenya has led the deployment of a multinational police force to Haiti, where armed insurgents have taken over the capital of Port-au-Prince and created a humanitarian crisis.

The joint press conference is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m.