This archive report was first published on 23 May 2020.
On Friday, May 22, 2020, the United States Embassy in Nairobi handed over 40,000 facemasks to the Kenya Border Police Unit (BPU) to support their efforts in maintaining a healthy and effective force during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The facemasks were made possible through funding by the Department of State's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Programme and were locally produced in Kenya by Kenyans.
US Ambassador to Kenya, Kyle McCarter, said the donation is a demonstration of the United States' long-standing commitment to help Kenya preserve and maintain both its physical security and public health.
Each of the facemasks comes in packaging printed with public health information to educate Kenyans on how to protect themselves from Covid-19.
Speaking at the handover event, Ambassador McCarter said, “The Covid-19 crisis reminds us all of the importance of establishing and maintaining secure borders. He added that the Border Police Unit has been a valuable and enthusiastic partner of the United States, and supporting them in their critical role of securing Kenya's borders was key.
Deputy Inspector General, Noor Gabow, welcomed the support of the United States in helping the BPU protect and serve the Kenyan people during the pandemic.
