President William Ruto has arrived in Kazakhstan for a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic cooperation between Kenya and the Asian nation.
In a statement after arriving in Astana on Tuesday, May 19, Ruto said Kenya and Kazakhstan were seeking to deepen ties that have been built over the years.
"Kenya and Kazakhstan have been planting seeds of friendship for over a decade through series of deliberate engagements. It is time to take these cordial relations to the next level," he said.
Ruto noted that trade relations between the two countries were already expanding in key sectors.
"Our trade ties are already blossoming in tea, flowers, fertilizer, and logistics, with a growing direct connection between Nairobi and Astana, as well as other countries in Central Asia," he noted.
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Ruto added that Kenya was seeking to broaden cooperation into additional sectors that could create jobs and unlock new opportunities.
"We are committed to building on this foundation by exploring new opportunities in finance, ICT, tourism, energy, and exchange programmes, with the overriding goal of fostering job creation, skills transfer, as well as expanding and opening new markets for our goods," he added.
Before travelling to Kazakhstan, Ruto had been in Azerbaijan where he attended the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum held at the Baku Convention Center.
During the visit, he held several bilateral talks, including one with President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia, where the two leaders discussed strengthening diplomatic and economic relations.
"We are keen on strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, particularly through the expansion of market access for Kenya’s agricultural products in Serbia," he stated after the meeting.
Ruto also met Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of Georgia and reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to boosting trade and tourism ties.
"We reaffirmed our commitment to deepening bilateral relations by expanding trade and investment between our two countries.
"Our discussions focused on enhancing market access for agricultural products, including tea and coffee, while also promoting tourism and strengthening people-to-people ties," he said.
At the World Urban Forum in Baku, Ruto highlighted Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme as a leading urban transformation initiative on the continent.
Addressing delegates at the forum, he said Africa and Asia would account for most global urban growth by 2050, increasing the urgency for affordable housing investments.
"We commend the people of Kenya for demonstrating how locally mobilised resources through the Housing Levy can help address the challenges of rapid urbanisation, making Kenya’s housing agenda one of Africa’s most ambitious urban transformation initiatives," Ruto stated.
Ruto also held talks with Rovshan Najaf, the president of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), focusing on energy cooperation.
"We are strengthening cooperation with Azerbaijan, through the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), in the energy sector, particularly in oil and gas, and renewable energy, as part of Kenya’s drive to attract strategic investment to expand energy generation.
"We aim to leverage SOCAR’s expertise in the exploration and production of natural gas and renewable energy to realise Kenya’s ambition of generating 10,000MW of electricity in the next decade," he shared.
Ruto further met United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach where the two discussed sustainable urban development and affordable housing.
"In my capacity as Global Champion for Adequate Housing, I pledged Kenya’s continued partnership with UN-Habitat in advancing resilient, sustainable, and people-centred cities.
"Kenya will continue to advance the Affordable Housing Programme to ensure every citizen, regardless of background, has access to decent and dignified shelter," he stated.
Ruto also held discussions with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan on expanding cooperation in energy, trade, and housing.
"We are exploring strategic areas of partnership to unlock the vast potential for cooperation between our two nations and expand opportunities for our people. Our discussions focused on fostering collaboration in the oil and gas sector, investments to scale up our affordable housing programme, and renewable energy partnerships to support our target of generating 10,000MW of power.
"Additionally, we explored broader trade and investment opportunities, with a focus on securing markets for Kenyan tea and horticultural products, and other agricultural exports," he wrote after the meeting.
The meetings in Azerbaijan took place on the sidelines of the World Urban Forum in Baku.
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