Ukraine, Kenya agree to intensify bilateral relations

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has received a Kenyan delegation, which is currently visiting Ukraine.

The meeting took place in the context of intensifying our state's relations with African countries in order to fulfill the tasks of Ukraine's Foreign Policy Strategy, the ministry's press service,

"Ukraine and Kenya are united by long-term ties of friendship and mutual respect. Our country is already well known among Kenyans due to quality education. We have all the prerequisites to strive for more: to strengthen political dialogue, increase trade, and fulfill tourism potential,” Kuleba stressed.

Kuleba extended an invitation to his Kenyan counterpart to pay a visit to Ukraine as soon as the epidemic situation stabilizes.

In addition, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Senik and Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya Ababu Namwamba held political consultations. They discussed in detail the steps to intensify relations between Ukraine and Kenya in the political, trade, cultural, educational, tourism, and humanitarian spheres, and carried out an audit of draft bilateral agreements that are under consideration by the parties.

An important topic of political consultations was the interaction between Ukraine and Kenya within international organizations, in particular in the context of Kenya's presidency of the UN Security Council in October 2021.

The parties also paid special attention to the increase in trade. They agreed on a visit of a Ukrainian business mission to Kenya in order to establish direct contacts between Ukrainian and Kenyan businesses. The business mission will be organized via the Council of Exporters and Investors at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Senik also confirmed Ukraine's interest in increasing the number of Kenyan students.

As a reminder, the first round of political consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers of Ukraine and Kenya took place in Nairobi on December 1, 2016.

In 2020, the volume of trade in goods and services between Ukraine and Kenya amounted to USD 92.1 million. Ukraine's positive balance was USD 65.1 million. In the first half of 2021, the volume of trade in goods and services between the countries amounted to USD 56.2 million.

According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 132 Kenyan citizens studied in higher education institutions of Ukraine in 2020.

ish