Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-05 07:19:25
President William Ruto is set to embark on an official two-day visit to Japan on Tuesday. This visit comes as a reciprocation of a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Nairobi last year, as part of a four-nation African tour that included Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, and Mozambique.
The aim of this diplomatic tour is to further strengthen friendly relations between Japan and Kenya and also to improve Kenya’s economy. The upcoming meeting between President Ruto and Prime Minister Kishida is expected to discuss trade and economic partnerships, education, scholarships, infrastructure development, and regional peace and security concerns within East Africa.
Announcing the upcoming visit, Prime Minister’s Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, revealed the objectives of the meeting during an interdenominational prayer service in Kakamega on Sunday. He emphasized the strong ties and cooperation between Kenya and foreign countries, including Japan, under President Ruto’s administration. The upcoming visit will also see President Ruto touring Tokyo and Aichi Prefecture, a manufacturing hub in the center of Honshu Island.
The President will be accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto and other officials to lobby for critical infrastructure projects for Kenya. Mudavadi highlighted the significant projects funded by Japan in Kenya’s health, agriculture, and education sectors, including the upgrading of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) laboratory, the construction of the Mombasa Southern Bypass, and the implementation of an intelligent transport system in Mombasa County.
In response to criticism of President Ruto’s administration’s foreign travels, Mudavadi defended the visits, stating that they were enabling fair and transparent financial development and were important in easing Kenya’s debt problems. He urged critics to stop castigating the President for such foreign trips, as they were bringing many benefits to Kenyans.
President Ruto also disclosed a forthcoming visit from Polish President Andrzej Sebastian Duda, with whom an agreement for a Sh8 billion project has been made to grow the dairy industry in Kenya.
Overall, the official visit to Japan is expected to strengthen ties between the two countries, foster economic partnerships, and seek benefits for Kenya’s development. The reciprocal nature of the visit demonstrates the commitment to building strong diplomatic relations for mutual benefit.
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