Kenya’s President, William Ruto, expressed the country’s commitment to enhancing its relationship with China as a means to drive economic growth. The government aims to collaborate closely with China in various areas, including infrastructure development, climate change, ICT, education, and security.
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In particular, Kenya is focusing on the development of roads under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, believing that investments in this sector will foster economic growth and generate job opportunities, aligning with their Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
During a high-level meeting with Wang Yi, the Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the Office of Central Committee for Foreign Affairs, President Ruto discussed plans to upgrade critical facilities such as the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and the ports of Mombasa and Lamu. The proposed development of a new Greenfield terminal and runway at JKIA, along with road projects, aims to elevate Kenya’s competitiveness in the sub-Saharan region.
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The projects can be pursued through Public-Private Partnerships or Government-to-Government collaborations. President Ruto assured Chinese investors of the government’s commitment to providing a secure environment for their investments.
In response, Wang Yi reaffirmed China’s commitment to cooperating with Kenya for mutual prosperity. He emphasized that China will prioritize the Kenya Government’s areas of interest and expressed full support for President Ruto’s administration. Moreover, an invitation for President Ruto to visit Beijing was extended, indicating the continuation of the positive relationship between the two nations.
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