Kenya took the spotlight at this year's US-Africa Connect Conference held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Kendall Square.

US-Africa Connect is a premier platform of strategic engagements and initiatives designed to promote mutually beneficial cross-continent partnerships between the United States and Africa.

It brings together leaders in business, government, and innovation to unlock new trade, technology, and investment opportunities through collaborative frameworks.

Kenya's delegation featured Cabinet Secretary for Tourism Rebecca Miano, 2025 Boston Marathon Champion John Korir, and Farisi Premium Maize Flour, a rising brand in the global endurance nutrition market.

In her keynote address, Miano introduced The Roosevelt Africa Trail as a visionary tourism initiative inspired by the 1909/10 Smithsonian-Roosevelt Africa Expedition.

"The project has transformative potential for Kenya, Uganda, and the broader continent, offering immersive, conservation-focused travel experiences rooted in cultural and historical depth," Miano said.

The conference also hosted the Tech Synergies in Global Marathons panel, where John Korir and his coach Ron Mann spotlighted ugali, East Africa's maize-based staple, as an essential fuel for elite runners.

Korir credited his training and performance edge to this traditional endurance food, emphasizing the deep link between nutrition and excellence in long-distance running.

Joining them on the panel was Pauline Ndirangu, Chief Financial Officer of Farisi Premium Maize Flour, a Kenyan company redefining athletic performance nutrition.

She said Farisi, produced by Farisi Manufacturing Industry Ltd., has built a reputation for quality through its farm-to-finish-line approach.

"We are taking the best of East Africa's natural ingredients and turning them into world-class products for athletes and health-conscious consumers," Ndirangu said.

She noted that it is about performance, heritage, and connecting their fields to finish lines worldwide.

Kenya's presence at MIT underscored the importance of innovation-driven diplomacy and the power of cross-continental partnerships to elevate African brands, tourism assets, and heritage into global conversations.

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2025-05-09-cs-miano-leads-kenya-delegation-at-us-africa-connect-conference

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