Kenyatta and Obama
By Christi Parsons (Pool Reporter)
The bilateral meeting between POTUS and Kenyatta took place in the State House, in a large conference room with two long tables, one for each delegation. Along the walls are paintings of members of different [ethnic groups] from around the country in traditional clothing.
Two delegations of nine filed into the room and milled around for a bit — Ben Rhodes, Susan Rice, Penny Pritzker, Gail Smith among those on the US side. On the other side, all were Cabinet members, including four women.
After ten minutes or so, Obama and Kenyatta came in and all were seated, the Kenyans facing the Americans. Kenyatta gave welcoming remarks:
He welcomed Obama, talked about the “shared values” between the countries, thanked him for his support of democracy, good governance and trade.
He decried terrorism as “a global threat that knows no boundaries.” “No single country can deal with this problem alone, we need to partner,” he said.
Obama said the US wants to see “not only good feelings but good outcomes.” What happens in Africa affects the world, he said, listing terrorism among the common concerns but adding that trade and cultural exchanges are important, too.
“Those are the things the people of Africa are most hungry for,” he said.
He praised Kenya for moving away from ethnic tensions and toward a “national unity.” The US wants to work with African leaders and people “not out of charity,” he said, but out of common interests.
The remarks took about five minutes. Pool left and is now awaiting the press conference.