China to help Kenya with economic recovery

Kenya and China this week concluded bilateral talks and agreed to deepen relations and consolidate economic collaboration beyond the post Covid-19 period.

Chinese state councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Mombasa this week on an official visit to Kenya which focused on implementing the outcomes of the eighth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held last November in Senegal.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Kenya’s cabinet secretary for foreign affairs Raychelle Omamo said the visit was a testament to the commitment between the two governments towards fostering and deepening bilateral relations.

Kenya and China’s history of bilateral collaboration dates back to pre-colonial times and Omamo said it was underpinned by common values of equality, mutual trust, and win-win outcomes.

Discussions between the two nations this week revealed that their areas of collaboration were vast and that under the framework of FOCAC as well as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), development cooperation between Kenya and China continued to grow from strength to strength.

“We deliberated widely on the Covid-19 impact globally and our joint efforts to combat the disease,” Omamo said.

The two countries signed six agreements, including one in which China agreed to donate 10 million doses of vaccines to Kenya under the plan for vaccine distribution to Africa.

“We also agreed to joint vaccine production and capacity building of medical personnel,” said Omamo.

“Under the Poverty Reduction and Agricultural Development Initiative, China donated 12,000 tons of rice for relief efforts for families that have been affected by Covid-19.”

The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a working group that will look into tariffs and non-tariff barriers to Kenya-China trade, as well fast-tracking the increase of exports from Kenya to China.

Another agreement was signed on strengthening investment in the digital economy.

– African News Agency (ANA)