U.S. Vice President Joe Biden held out the potential for more investment in Kenya, a critical ally whose help has been sought stabilizing a troubled East African region that includes neighboring Somalia.
The vice president's remarks Tuesday during a brief trip to the region represent a softening of U.S. criticism. American officials have chided Kenya in the past for what has been perceived as a halting anticorruption drive and the slow pace of promised constitutional change. Washington has imposed a travel ban on Kenya's attorney general, who is seen as blocking changes.
During his visit, Mr. Biden offered more carrot than stick, vowing more business and a robust partnership between the two countries. "As Kenya moves forward so too will the United States in strengthening our relationships with you, both economically and politically," he said, adding that he was "more optimistic than I have been" that political changes would take place.
Washington is relying on help from East African allies in dealing with nearby Somalia, which has become a magnet for al Qaeda-backed militants. U.S. officials say al Shabaab, a militant group allied with al Qaeda, is attempting to establish a base for a broader terror network. On Saturday, two U.S. citizens were arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and charged with planning to fly to Somalia to fight with al Shabaab in the hopes of killing Americans.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said he had asked the U.S. to take more of a lead in helping stabilize the region. "We have asked the U.S. government to provide leadership to forge a concerted international effort to stabilize Somalia," the president said, though he didn't provide details. The international community, including the U.S., has invested heavily in the current Somali government, believed to be the best hope for stability there.
Kenya has helped train some Somali troops and has tried several Somali pirates arrested in international waters. Mr. Biden said the U.S. would continue to support Kenya's efforts in their "shared challenges" in the region. He plans to deliver a speech Wednesday elaborating on the countries' ties before traveling to South Africa to attend the opening of the World Cup.
The U.S. relationship with Kenya has been contentious at times. Since ethnic violence erupted after the 2007 elections, Kenya has come under pressure to make changes that would defuse tensions. Among the changes the U.S. says are needed: eliminating corruption in the police force, improving accountability in the justice system and creating a new constitution that offers more checks on executive power.
Kenya's president has replaced the police commissioner, and a new draft constitution will be ready for a national referendum in August.
Still, deep fissures remain within the Kenyan government following the violence-marred elections in 2007. More than 1,300 people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in the clashes, which sprang up along tribal lines. A power-sharing deal was cobbled together to end the violence, but the union is awkward at best and at times acrimonious.
On Tuesday, Mr. Biden met with both President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga. They gathered with other top U.S. and Kenyan officials around a large wooden table at Kenya's white-pillared presidential palace. Before the discussion began, Mr. Biden quipped: "As I told my staff, everything is settled." The joke drew laughs from around the table.
Write to Sarah Childress at sarah.childress@wsj.com
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