By Andrea Shalal and Trevor Hunnicutt

May 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed

Kenyan President William Ruto to the White House on Thursday for

a state visit, pledging new partnerships on technology, security

and debt relief to the leader of one of Africa's strongest

democracies.

Ruto's is the first state visit by an African president to

the White House since 2008, a gesture toward the importance of a

continent that is home to 1 billion people and nurtures close

trade ties with China, but which ranks behind the wars in

Ukraine and Gaza on Washington's agenda.

On Thursday evening, Ruto was the guest of honor at a lavish

state dinner that drew a wide range of guests, from

singer-songwriter Don McLean to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell,

the CEOs of Walmart ( WMT ) and Pfizer ( PFE ) as well as former

President Bill Clinton. Former President Barack Obama, whose

father was Kenyan, made a brief appearance before the meal.

"We may be divided by distance, but we are united by the

same democratic values," Biden said as he greeted Ruto on the

South Lawn of the White House. Biden reminisced about his own

visits to Kenya as a young man, hailing 60 years of diplomatic

relations between the two countries after Kenya's independence.

"My visit takes place at a time when democracy is perceived

to be retreating worldwide," Ruto said, standing with Biden,

Vice President Kamala Harris and other cabinet officials.

Earlier, he had met privately with Biden in the Oval Office.

"We agreed on the significant opportunity for the U.S. to

radically recalibrate its strategy and strengthen its support

for Africa," Ruto said.

Biden said he would designate Kenya as the first sub-Saharan

African country to be a major non-NATO ally. Qatar, Israel and

16 other countries share that designation.

Nairobi and Washington cooperate on fighting terrorism

in Africa, stability in Haiti and supporting Ukraine.

The Kenyan president arrived in the United States on Monday

and visited Atlanta, then spoke with business executives in the

White House on Wednesday. On Friday, he will discuss digital

inclusion in Africa with Vice President Kamala Harris at an

event hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Successive U.S. governments have said they wanted to

offer African countries a more sustainable and democratic

alternative to relations with China and Russia, but Washington

has failed to establish deep ties.

The continent's political landscape has been upended in the

past year by a spate of military coups, wars and shaky elections

that have given China and Russia greater influence. Biden hopes

strengthening ties with Kenya, seen as a democratic stronghold,

can help stabilize the continent and advance U.S. interests.

In a joint statement, the two leaders said they would work

together to support the Somali government in its fight against

terrorism and asked warring parties in Sudan to allow

humanitarian access to aid and agree to a ceasefire.

GREEN ENERGY, HEALTH DEALS

The leaders announced new U.S.-backed investments in green

energy and health manufacturing, along with a detailed plan to

cut Kenya's high debt load, most of it owed to China.

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation

announced $250 million in new investments in Kenya through the

U.S. International Development Finance Corp. That includes $180

million for a major affordable housing project, a U.S.

government official said, bringing the U.S. financing

institution's portfolio in Kenya to over $1 billion.

The two leaders made a joint call for the international

community to reduce the heavy debt burden of developing

countries and do more to support poor countries that want to

invest in development and climate technologies.

They also called for the U.S. Congress to pass a bill to

renew a U.S.-Africa trade pact.

Haiti's humanitarian crisis was another focus. Kenya's plan

to deploy 1,000 paramilitary officers to the Caribbean country

as part of a U.N.-backed effort to curb gang violence and hunger

has been delayed, sources told Reuters.

On Wednesday, Biden told reporters he plans to visit Africa

in February after the U.S. presidential election, an

announcement that presumes the Democratic president will defeat

his Republican opponent Donald Trump. Biden had earlier pledged

to make a trip to Africa sometime in 2023.

The dinner was held in a glass pavilion on the White House

grounds that was lit by 1,000 candles. The menu included

heirloom tomato soup, butter-poached lobster, smoked beef short

ribs and a white chocolate dessert.

Country singer Brad Paisley is headlining the dinner along

with Howard University's Gospel Choir, both of which are

tributes to Ruto's musical interests.