Africa Notes: U.S. Policy Toward Kenya in the Wake of September 11: Can New Antiterrorist Imperatives Be Reconciled with Endurin

As President George W. Bush’s administration expands its global war against terrorism, Kenya is likely to assume added significance in the hierarchy of U.S. security interests. In the wake of September 11, the Horn of Africa has gained renewed salience in U.S. geopolitical calculations. Kenya, which shares borders with Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia, emerges as a relatively stable anchor state in a volatile and violent subregion. The new global context thus adds a dimension to the U.S.-Kenya bilateral relationship: the United States will almost certainly look to Kenya for enhanced cooperation and assistance in its counterterrorism efforts, and the Kenyan government in turn will look to the United States for financial support and a good word with the international financial institutions.