Readout of Vice President Biden’s Meeting with Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga

Earlier today, the Vice President met with Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga at the White House to continue discussions begun during the Vice President's June 2010 trip to Nairobi.  The Vice President lauded historic steps taken by the Kenyan people to bring change to their country in the wake of the 2007-2008 post-election violence, most notably the passage of a new constitution.  The Vice President underscored the urgent need to move forward with Kenya’s constitutional change by implementing key democratic reforms to improve accountability, transparency and rule of law, and reiterated that the United States is Kenya’s partner in this effort. The Vice President and the Prime Minister discussed the important link between these reforms and future economic opportunities to ensure peace and prosperity for all Kenyans, as well as ongoing efforts to promote sustainable development and regional trade and investment.  In light of Kenya’s critical role in advancing regional stability, the two leaders consulted on our ongoing cooperation to address security and humanitarian challenges in Somalia.  They also discussed the need to reinvigorate efforts on Sudan, particularly on Abyei and Darfur, to secure a lasting peace.