Political Relations of the United States with Kenya in the Second Decade of the 21st Century - Democratic Values Above All
Political Relations of the United States with Kenya in the Second Decade of the 21st Century - Democratic Values Above All

Summary/Abstract: Democratic values in the relations of the United States with the countries of the Global South, including African, constitute an important research problem. The interest in this issue grew during the presidency of Barack Obama who has Kenyan roots. The purpose of the paper is to discuss and evaluate the relations between the US and Kenya in the context of the promotion of democracy. The research problem is contained in the following questions: What is the nature of American-Kenyan political relations? Are they friendly and durable? Do they have strategic significance for both partners? What role do good governance and democracy play in these relations? The analysis shows that strategic cooperation between the US and Kenya has solid foundations. It results from both historical factors as well as the current proximity of strategic goals, primarily in the East African region. Although there are numerous problems and misunderstandings between state authorities, including the different perceptions of the importance of democratic values, they do not interfere with close cooperation between the US and Kenya. This means that the issue of promoting democratic values does not play a key role in US-Kenyan relations. The United States is ready to forge closer relations with Kenya even with concessions in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, which is a manifestation of a realistic approach.

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