Kibaki had 'courtesy exchange' with Obama

President Kibaki spoke briefly with President Barack Obama last week at a reception for world leaders hosted in New York by the White House, Kenya's United Nations ambassador said on Tuesday.

The Kenyan and American leaders had what amounted to a “courtesy exchange” at the New York Public Library, ambassador Macharia Kamau told the Nation.

Mr Kibaki had come to the US to take part in the opening debate of the United Nations General Assembly as well as special UN meetings on Somalia and the hunger crisis in the Horn.

He also addressed a gathering of the Kenyan Diaspora. And at an investment symposium organised in Manhattan by the Harvard Club, Mr Kibaki urged his audience to take advantage of opportunities in Kenya.

But the president did not hold substantive talks with any members of the Obama administration during his week-long visit to New York.

President Obama did speak last week with South Sudan President Salva Kiir on a range of topics. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meanwhile held talks with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on the sidelines of the UN sessions.

Mr Kamau noted that Kenya had not requested meetings with US officials during what may have been Mr Kibaki's last trip to the United States in his capacity as president.

Kenya's UN envoy added that Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula held discussions in New York with Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson on “the full gamut of international concerns.”

Mr Kamau said he knows of no plan for Mr Obama to visit Kenya during the remaining 15 months of his term in office. In November 2008, President Kibaki invited the then-newly elected US leader to visit Kenya, the homeland of Mr Obama's father.

The US president has been to black Africa only once since taking office in January 2009. He gave a speech in Ghana in July 2009 during a day-long visit.