UoN set to inaugurate pioneer African Center for Study of USA (ACSUS) in the continent
The University of Nairobi (UON) is set to launch the inaugural African Centre for the Study of the United States of America (ACSUS) in the continent setting stage for more in-depth analysis of the North-South relations in the now more globalised world.
The two-day event is slated for this week on November 10 and November 11 at the Chandaria Auditorium in the main campus.
Moreover, the center will also serve as a rich definitive hub for African-generated knowledge by the academia to improve bilateral relations between Kenya and the US besides adding impetus to multilateralism to promote integration in the region and across the world.
in pursuit to improve the diplomatic relations between Kenya and the United States of America.
ACSUS will be domiciled under the Department of Diplomacy and International Studies at the University of Nairobi chaired by Dr. Patrick Muthengi Maluki.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Informer, Maluki said the center will foster dynamism in all facets of engagements between the two countries and people to people relations.
“The launch is expected to foster dynamism and relations in the fight against human rights as it acts as linkage in areas of tourism and investment as it seeks to enhance people to people diplomacy,” said Maluki.
The relationship between Kenya and US dates back in 1964 and cuts across Educational and Cultural Exchange, Membership in International Organisations, Bilateral Representation, Security Relationship, foreign assistance, Bilateral Economic Relations after the attainment of independence from the United Kingdom in December 1963 and strengthened after Kenya’s 2002 democratic transition and subsequent improvements in civil liberties.
Additionally, Kenya hosts the largest United Nations Mission in Africa in Nairobi.
Among those expected to attend include members of the various diplomatic corps led by the US Ambassador to Kenya Her Excellency Margaret Cushing Whitman popularly known as Meg Whitman among others.
Also, local leaders led by government officials are also expected to grace the occasion.
Last year, foreign visitor arrivals stood at 870,467 with 19,053 visitors translating to 2.19 per cent coming to Kenya for education purposes and only 1 per cent came for medical treatment.
USA topped the list as the main tourist source for Kenya with 136,981 followed by Uganda (80,067) and Tanzania (74,051) respectively in the period between January to December 2021.
Tourism industry recorded a 34.76 percent increase in revenue, which translated to $1.46 billion compared to $885 million recorded in 2020.
The university of Nairobi will play the host for the resourceful centre located at the heart of the Kenyan Capital, the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
The centre is designed to build extensive multi and interdisciplinary, incisive and cutting-edge perspectives on the US while availing opportunities to critically analyse topics such as the country’s political diplomacy, internal dynamics, diaspora matters while studying the consolidated US as a society, country and its position as a world superpower.
The department has so far met key leaders in the various arms of government led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Masika Wetangula and is scheduled to have a meeting with the Nairobi County governor Johnson Sakaja in efforts to solidify the existence framework so as to ensure the department is incorporated in the plans to run a campaign for Nairobi to host the Sister Cities International Annual Conference in 2024 after the Johannesburg summit next year.
“Nairobi will be competing with the city of Casablanca in Morocco and Accra in Ghana. Nairobi is a resource that needs to be harnessed and this is why the university exists. So that it can bring out some of these issues so that they can inform policy.” Maluki added.
Kenya’s strategic trade and investment partnership is an important pillar of the US- Kenya relations.
In July 2015, former US President Barrack Obama held talks with immediate former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and other top officials with discussions centered on security, trade, health and education marking the two-day state visit in the country and first ever by a US sitting president.
In August 2018, President Donald Trump and Uhuru Kenyatta formally elevated the relationship to a strategic partnership and established a corresponding annual bilateral strategic dialogue.
In November 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Nairobi to conduct the second U.S-Kenya bilateral strategic dialogue.
The annual dialogue prioritises five pillars of engagement namely; economic prosperity, trade and investment; defense cooperation, democracy, governance, civilian security, multilateral and regional issues alongside public health cooperation.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a United States Trade Act, enacted on May 18, 2000 as Public Law 106 of the 200th Congress which has since been renewed to 2025.
The legislation significantly enhances market access to the US for qualifying Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries based on a set of conditions contained in the AGOA legislation.
Kenya is a leading AGOA implementer, with AGOA-related exports to the United States of more than USD 530 million in 2020. The U.S, Kenya bilateral trade totaled USD 863 million in 2020 and the launch is set to follow steps as it is primed to boost the numbers even more.
This is expected to solidify new opportunities presented under the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA)
Dr. Maluki says the commensurate support between the center and the department will make Kenya world class hub of academia.
Also, the department will be able to market Kenya in the global arena by creating enough awareness to the rest of the world.
“Kenya is one of the non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council,” he added.
The University of Nairobi is seen as the appropriate institution to mother the department bearing in mind of the department of Diplomacy and International Studies which has been in existence since 1970 arguably birthing around 80 per cent of Kenyan diplomats.
“The institution has donated land with requisite facilities intending to use available conference facilities and learning museums.” Maluki noted.
The co-business of the department will be aiding in research and academic materials and products about the USA by providing data collection is successful to service scholars and organisations seeking the resourceful information.
The university has partnered with the Witwatersrand in South Africa with a similar programme launched in March 2018 to offer digital diplomacy projects.
“The US government is pushing for the establishment (in Kenya) in the region as it sought to develop more centers in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola and Zambia,” Maluki revealed.
