Washington, Jun 25 (IANS): US President Joe Biden has designated Kenya as a major non-NATO ally (MNNA) of his country.

"By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2321k)..., I hereby designate Kenya as a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States for the purposes of the Act and the Arms Export Control Act...," stated a memorandum published by the White House on Monday.

The MNNA status is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defence trade and security cooperation.

According to the US Department of State, the MNNA designation is a "powerful symbol of the close relationship the United States shares with those countries and demonstrates our deep respect for the friendship for the countries to which it is extended".

While the MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments to the designated country.

Biden had pledged to designate Kenya as a major non-NATO ally during Kenyan President William Ruto's three-day visit to the US last month.