I offer my deepest condolences to President William Ruto, the Kenyan Defence Forces, and the Kenyan people on the loss of Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Omondi Ogolla and several other passengers in a helicopter crash earlier today. During his nearly four decades of service, General Ogolla was a valuable partner in Kenyan-U.S. relations, dedicating his life to making his country – and all of us – safer and more secure. From combatting terrorist threats posed by al-Shabaab to leading efforts to bolster regional cooperation across a range of domains, he has left an indelible mark. Throughout his career, the United States enjoyed a close relationship with General Ogolla, who received pilot training alongside our own officers in the United States and developed strong relationships with U.S. diplomatic and defense leaders, including Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, and U.S. Africa Command Commander General Langley. Our hearts go out to General Ogolla’s family and the loved ones of all the victims in today’s crash. We share Kenya’s grief for this tragedy and offer our resolute support in the days ahead.

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