Nairobi, Aug. 19 -- Over the years, I have built, deepened and deployed capital while working to strengthen confidence in our markets. That experience has given me a clear view of what mutual prosperity through trade and investment can unlock, and what will define the next chapter of US-East Africa relations.

The American narrative is shifting from aid to trade. The priority now is to ensure that this shift delivers mutual prosperity, not just market access. For the partnership to thrive, it must be built on mutual investment, durable commercial co-investment and local value creation.

East Africa was the continent's fastest-growing region for the second consecutive year, according to the African Development Bank's 2026 outlook. Regional...