Virtual Event | Countering China’s Digital Silk Road: Kenya

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Kenya is East Africa’s digital bellwether. The country’s tech transformation has earned it the title “Silicon Savannah” and recognition from U.S. officials as Africa’s digital hub—making it a prized partner in the intensifying tech competition between the United States and China.

So far, Chinese firms have built much of Kenya’s digital infrastructure, from telecom networks to smart city systems. But U.S. companies lead in cloud, AI, and software. As Nairobi rolls out a national cloud policy and Kenyan start-ups seek best-in-class tools, the United States has a key window to deepen its tech partnership with this strategically vital African partner.

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) held a live, virtual event on Wednesday, August 6, at 9:30 a.m. ET to explore Kenya’s evolving digital landscape, the stakes of the U.S.-China tech rivalry on the continent, and opportunities for Washington to offer a more compelling technology partnership.

This virtual event coincided with the release of a new CNAS report, Countering the Digital Silk Road: Kenya, which is part of a CNAS research project assessing the economic and security implications of China’s Digital Silk Road and U.S. efforts to offer a more compelling alternative. This report is the third of four in-depth case studies on strategically vital “swing” nations—Indonesia, Brazil, Kenya, and Saudi Arabia.

Featuring:

Maxwell Okello
Chief Executive Officer
American Chamber of Commerce Kenya

Maureen Farrell
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs
U.S. Department of Defense

Jane Munga
Fellow
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Africa Program

Moderated by:

Vivek Chilukuri
Senior Fellow and Program Director, Technology and National Security Program
Center for a New American Security

For registration questions, contact Jasmine Butler at [email protected]. For media inquiries, contact Charles Horn at [email protected].