- The President’s state visit to India signifies Kenya’s continuous efforts to position itself as an attractive destination for international investors.
- One of the significant moments of the visit was the signing of five memoranda of understanding (MOUs).
- India has been a trusted and committed development partner for Kenya.
This fund will support Kenya in the space of agricultural mechanization and the whole space of vaccines and other interventions.
President William Ruto.
In a state visit to India, President William Ruto affirmed Kenya’s commitment to fortifying bilateral relations with India, citing shared historical ties dating back to the 18th Century.
The three-day state visit focused on bolstering cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture, investment, education, digital economy, healthcare, research, and trade with a mutual aim to benefit the citizens of both nations.
One of the significant moments of the visit was the signing of five memoranda of understanding (MOUs), one major being between the Kenya Open University and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), aiming to expand Kenya’s education programs.
President Ruto was accompanied by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and three governors: James Orengo of Siaya County, Stephen Sang and Hillary Barchok, governors of Nandi and Bomet counties, respectively.
The delegation landed in New Delhi, India, on Monday, December 4, for bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s President, Droupadi Murmu.
Investment agenda
The president emphasized the importance of attracting investors and establishing investment projects in the country for economic growth.
During discussions with Harsha Bangari, Managing Director of India Exim Bank, President Ruto underscored the importance of establishing the bank’s regional headquarters in Kenya.
He emphasized that such strategic investments play a central role in driving Kenya’s socio-economic growth to align with his administration’s agenda.
“Kenya continues to attract international investors from all parts of the world as part of the Bottom-Up Transformation Agenda,” said the president.
In a bid to explore investment opportunities in the Lake Region Economic Bloc, President Ruto engaged with Srinivasa Raju Gannavarapu, the President and CEO of Procorp Enertech Private Limited.
Procorp Enertech Private Limited, an organization committed to substantial investments in transport infrastructure within the region to enhance connectivity and stimulate economic growth, showcased a strategic partnership for regional development in Kenya, particularly in the Lake Region.
Still on matters investment, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a Line of Credit (LoC) to Kenya.
He revealed that his country would continue to support Kenya in investments, seeing that the two countries have a lot in common, especially in the field of defense.
“In today’s discussion, we emphasized on military exercises, capacity building as well as linking the defense industries of both the countries,” stated PM Modi.
He expressed that India and Kenya will persist in discovering new opportunities to unlock the complete potential of economic cooperation between the two nations while underscoring India’s steadfast commitment as a trusted development partner for Kenya.
“We also note that mutual trade and investment between India and Kenya is making steady progress and we will continue to explore new opportunities to realize the full potential of our economic cooperation.
India has been a trusted and committed development partner for Kenya.
Through ITEC and ICCR scholarships, India has made a significant contribution in the skill development and capacity building of the people of Kenya,” acknowledged Modi.
The state leaders also discussed the expansion of bilateral trade and investment between them and committed to resolving difficulties in access to the market and addressing non-tariff barriers.
Bilateral relations
Kenya and India have solidified their longstanding relationship through a series of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and strategic collaborations spanning diverse sectors.
Part of the MoUs signed between the two countries included allowing Kenyan avocados into the Indian market.
They will also partner in energy, health, Information Technology and the SME sectors.
“I welcomed the decision by India to open its market to avocados from Kenya and the continued assistance in health, energy, ICT sectors and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises,” stated Ruto in a press statement.
In his address, Dammu Ravi, the Secretary of India’s Ministry for External Affairs, acknowledged the bold move by Ruto, stating that it will attract more investors from India to Kenya.
“Interestingly, the Kenyan side has expressed interest in offering to India agricultural farmland to encourage Indian companies to go there and do farming,” said the Secretary in a media briefing.
Other MoUs were signed between open universities of both countries, forming a collaborative effort in education, digital transformation, culture and sports.
“Education is another area; the open universities of both sides, IGNOU and the Open University of Kenya have entered into an MoU space in another area of cooperation,” added Mr. Ravi.
To accelerate realizing the Universal Healthcare plan, Kenya will work with India to advance the country’s pharmaceutical and medical commodities manufacturing capabilities as well as advanced medical technologies including digital health and telemedicine.
“This would greatly deepen and broaden access to affordable healthcare for Kenyans from every walk of life and especially those at the bottom of the socioeconomic structure,” President Ruto noted.
President Ruto’s diplomatic discussions extended to talks with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs in India to underscore the commitment of both nations to strengthening their diplomatic ties and collaboration on other global issues.
Agricultural grant
As the state visit mostly centered around agriculture and education, India granted Kenya a $250 million (KSh 38.3 billion) Line of Credit (LoC) grant to advance in agriculture and vaccine production.
In a joint presser, the president said that the money would be used for agricultural projects and other programs that the two nations have agreed upon.
“This fund will support Kenya in the space of agricultural mechanization and the whole space of vaccines and other interventions.
I want to assure you that we will immediately embark on programs that have already been agreed on so that we can leverage on this facility to provide the much-needed services for the people of Kenya,” said Ruto.
He emphasized that the grant will significantly contribute to fulfilling his administration’s dedication to the people of Kenya, particularly in addressing challenges related to healthcare and food security amid the ongoing concerns about the cost of living.
What does Ruto’s visit to India mean?
The three-day visit is Ruto’s first presidential trip to India as head of state since former president Uhuru Kenyatta visited the country in 2017.
While the president’s visit was in his capacity as Kenya’s President, it is significant in strengthening bilateral relations between India and the African continent, as stated by India’s PM Modi.
Modi expressed his happiness over the Kenyan President’s visit to India after the inclusion of the African Union in the G20, adding that the visit will give a new boost to India’s relations with Kenya and the African Union.
Kenya expanding her avocado market to India will bolster the country’s prosperity in the product, seeing that the country has doubled the fruit’s production and stands 6th on the continent in terms of production.
Presently, the product contributes an average of over $100 million annually to export earnings and the value is set to go up after this agricultural collaboration.
Apart from similarities in the field of defense, the two countries have similar beliefs about terrorism.
Both nations are of the view that the most serious challenge facing humanity in the present age is terrorism and they have vowed to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation.
In conclusion, the President’s visit signifies Kenya’s continuous efforts to position itself as an attractive destination for international investors.
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The emphasis on advancement in different sectors, such as education, technology and transportation, reflects a comprehensive approach to economic development, diplomacy and unity.
