Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale is back after making a successful trip to the US where he met prominent personalities and struck deals for the benefit of Kenya. The tour ran between January 22-30, 2020.
His first engagement was on Wednesday, January 22 Arizona, (Phoenix Az) where he met members of the Somali community from both Kenya and other Horn of Africa countries.
The leaders welcomed him and hosted a reception party in his honour at the Somali American United Council Centre.
He was received by the leadership team of Council led by it’s President Dr Mohamed Ali Abukar, Vice President Julianna Larsen and program manager Nora Castaneda.
Duale also received a welcome message from the Arizona state Refugee Coordinator Charles Shipman.
“They thanked the Kenya Government for hosting large number of refugees, and created advocacy, leadership, and support to the wellbeing and safety of refugees in Kenya’s refugee camps”, Duale remarked after the meeting.
The ceremony, according to Duale gave him an opportunity to engage with the audience on various opportunities back in Kenya.
In another occasion, the Leader of Majority was hosted by the leadership of the Minnesota State Legislature (House of Representatives/ Senate) led by Rep. Hodan Hassan (DFL) District: 62A, Deputy Majority Leader, Rep Mohamud Noor representing District 60B, Rep. Rena Moran (DFL) District: 65A, Senator Bobby Champion representing District 59 and Senator John Hoffman representing District 36.
During that meeting their discussion centred on key legislative features of the House Representatives, collaboration on a number of fronts including partnership programmes.
Mr Duale while in the US held a meeting with Keith Maurice Ellison (American politician and lawyer) serving as the 30th Attorney General of Minnesota.
Ellison was member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), and once served as former U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district from 2007 to 2019.
He also served as the Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2017 to 2018.
In Congress, Ellison was a vice-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a Chief Deputy Whip. He also sat on the House Committee on Financial Services.
Ellison was the first Muslim to be elected to Congress and and the first African American representative from Minnesota.
He has a lot of interest in Kenya, East and the Horn of Africa and during his talks with Duale had serious engagements on security, peace building, humans rights and reforms going on in the region.
“I explained to him the opportunities that the Big Four agenda of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Government on universal health care, Manufacturing, food security and affordable housing that American companies can invest in our country”, Duale confirmed.
During Duale’s US visit whose reception resembled a State visit, also saw him pay a courtesy call to Rep. Ryan Patrick Winkler, Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives and a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 46A.
Those who received Duale in Arizona termed the visit an honor and appreciated Somali American United Council for taking the lead to put together amazing event to celebrate ‘honorable Aden Duale visit and recognize his noticeable impact on the refugee communities’.
Duale had the honour to hold talks with Congresswoman Ilhan Abdullahi Omar (Somali American politician), the U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional District.
Ilhan Abdullahi Omar is the first Somali-American, the first naturalized citizen from Africa, and the first non-white woman elected from Minnesota. She is also one of the first two Muslim women (along with Rashida Tlaib of Michigan) to serve in Congress.
“As a member of the committee on Foreign affairs, we discussed a wide range of issues between the legislatures, matters of refugees, Kenya’s contribution to the peace, security and stability in the Horn of Africa and the fight against extremism”, Duale confirmed after meeting with Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.
He also met with House Democracy Partnership Chairman Representative David Eugine Price (U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District since 1977), and Mr. Derek Luyten, staff Director, Rayburn House Office Building.
They discussed the partnership between the legislature of Kenya and US and how capacity building, legislative reforms, benchmarking and training of our staff from both the legislative / budget offices have been trained at the congress since 2006.
During his long and extensive tour of the US Duale also had a meeting with Karen Ruth Bass, a member of the Democratic Party who has represented California’s 37th Congressional District.
She serves also as Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Sub committee on Africa.
“Our discussion centred on wildlife, environmental conservation, regional security and how Kenya and the United States can continue to partner in those fields”, Duale stated on his update of the US trip.
