A senior United States official is set to visit Kenya nearly three months after a planned trip by Vice President JD Vance was cancelled due to a U.S. government shutdown.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is scheduled to travel to Kenya between Saturday, January 24, and February 1, as part of a wider diplomatic tour across Africa. He will be accompanied by the Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson.
The visit signals renewed high-level engagement between Washington and key African partners, including Kenya.
According to official statements from the U.S. government, Landau’s stop in Kenya will include meetings with senior government officials.
The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening commercial ties, expanding counter-terrorism cooperation, and reviewing Kenya’s role in international security efforts, particularly its contribution to stabilisation missions in Haiti.
A U.S. government statement outlined the scope of the trip, noting that Deputy Secretary Landau will first visit Egypt before travelling alongside General Anderson to Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti from January 24 to February 1.
While in Cairo, Landau is expected to meet U.S. companies operating and investing in Egypt, as well as engage Egyptian officials on economic and regional cooperation.
During his time in Kenya, talks are also likely to cover broader regional issues affecting East Africa. These include trade partnerships, regional security challenges, and the long-standing strategic relationship between Kenya and the United States.
However, as of the time of publishing, the Kenyan government had not confirmed whether Landau would hold joint press briefings or public appearances with senior leaders, including President William Ruto.
The visit comes after the cancellation of Vice President JD Vance’s planned trip to Kenya in November 2025. At the time, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi explained that President Donald Trump had directed that no U.S. officials attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. This decision made it impractical for Vice President Vance to proceed with the Kenya leg of his visit.
Despite the cancellation, Mudavadi assured Kenyans and the diplomatic community that relations between Nairobi and Washington remained strong and unaffected.
Vance’s visit would have been the first official trip to Kenya by a senior U.S. executive official since President Trump began his second term in office.
Landau’s upcoming visit is therefore seen as an important opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen U.S.-Kenya relations.
Analysts expect key discussions to centre on improving the business climate for U.S. investors in Kenya, expanding trade opportunities, and deepening cooperation in addressing regional security threats, including terrorism and instability in neighbouring countries.
This trip will mark the first visit to Kenya by a top U.S. government official since President Trump returned to the White House. It also follows closely after President William Ruto’s visit to Washington in December, where he held talks with President Trump.
During that visit, the two leaders finalised several major agreements, including a significant U.S.-Kenya health partnership aimed at improving healthcare systems and expanding medical infrastructure across Kenya.
Beyond Kenya, Landau’s African tour includes stops in Ethiopia and Djibouti. In Addis Ababa, he is expected to meet Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and other senior officials to promote economic engagement and discuss peace and security issues in the Horn of Africa.
He will also hold talks with African Union Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, focusing on shared priorities such as humanitarian assistance and regional stability.
In Djibouti, the Deputy Secretary of State will concentrate on security cooperation, counter-terrorism efforts, and strengthening commercial partnerships. Djibouti hosts key U.S. military and strategic interests, making it an important stop on the regional tour.
Overall, Landau’s visit highlights Washington’s continued interest in deepening diplomatic, economic, and security ties with Kenya and the wider East African region at a time of growing global and regional challenges.
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