Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Colin Powell flies in today
By NATION Team
United States Secretary of State Colin Powell arrives in the country today to attend the Sudanese peace talks in Naivasha.
Mr Powell is also expected to hold talks with President Kibaki and a number of Cabinet ministers before he leaves for Spain tomorrow. .
It is likely that talks with the Kenyan leaders will centre on the war against terrorism, the HIV/Aids scourge and bilateral trade.
The visit is a significant statement of confidence in Kenya coming just a fortnight after President Kibaki was hosted by President Bush in Washington.
It will be the second time that Mr Powell is visiting Kenya, the first having been in late May 2001 when he held talks with retired President Moi.
American has committed billions of dollars to the fight against terrorism in East Africa and Kenya is a major beneficiary due to its strategic position. Kenya has also been attacked by terrorists twice with heavy casualties; first in 1998 by suicide bombers targeting the American embassy and then in November last year when Israeli interests in Mombasa were targeted.
Talks between the visiting official and Kenyan leaders would also angle on the $5 billion (Sh350 billion) that the US has pledged to fight HIV/Aids in Africa.
It is also understood that America has wanted to increase its military presence in Kenya and this may form part of Mr Powell's agenda.
Significantly, the top US official will be in the country in contradiction of travel advisories issued by his own department, which may also point to the significance his country is attaching to Kenya as a strategic partner in the war against terrorism.
The secretary of state is arriving from Bangkok where he has been taking part in a US-Asia economic summit along with President George W Bush.
Mr Powell�s visit suggests that the US government may be reconsidering its warnings against travel to Kenya.
Meanwhile, negotiations aimed at ending Sudan�s 20-year civil war have reached a crucial stage.
The Khartoum government and rebel forces in the south recently clinched a deal on security issues, but the two sides have yet to agree on how to share political power or the country�s oil wealth.
Sudanese officials said on Saturday that a full peace agreement could be achieved by the end of the year. They added that Mr Powell might attend the signing of a draft agreement.
But US officials travelling with the Secretary of State say it is unlikely that the two sides will be ready to sign an accord today or tomorrow. Mr Powell�s visit to Naivasha may thus be intended to press the parties to make a final push towards peace.
While opening the latest round of talks on Friday, Foreign Affairs minister Kalonzo Musyoka said he expected the Powell to visit either "to encourage both parties or to witness the signing of the agreement".
Reported by Mugumo Munene in Nairobi and Kevin Kelley in Washington
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