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Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | President Uhuru Kenyatta is in South Africa where he will meet President Jacob Zuma and later Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, before attending celebrations on Saturday to mark the 106th anniversary of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
Kenyatta left Thursday for talks in the afternoon that will review the progress in the implementation of earlier signed agreements and explore new areas to deepen ties between Kenya and South Africa.
South Africa is a strategic partner of Kenya in many areas, particularly trade and security. Numerous South African companies have a presence in Kenya. They operate in sectors such as banking, insurance, accountancy, pharmaceuticals, retail, tourism and engineering.
In October 2016, President Zuma made a historic State visit to Kenya which witnessed the signing of six agreements and Memoranda of Understanding in various sectors.
The agreements were on visa exemption for passport holders of diplomatic, ordinary and service passports, on defence cooperation, police cooperation, on cooperation between Kenya Investment Authority, Export Promotion Council and the Trade-Invest of South Africa, cooperation in the field of biodiversity, on conservation and management, and on Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Projects.
During Zuma’s visit to Kenya, both leaders directed that negotiation towards the establishment of a Bi-National Commission be expedited to further bolster trade relations between the two countries.
In the area of Immigration, the two countries were able to resolve some of the key issues including visa requirements for Kenya nationals travelling to South Africa.
Key amongst these was the acceptance by South Africa to issue visa on arrival for official delegations, and the issuance of a one-off visa tenable for the duration of study in South Africa for Kenyan Students.
President Kenyatta’s official visit to South Africa will also focus on enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the area of training.
With South African President Jacob Zuma shortly after arriving in Durban. pic.twitter.com/gRYyoG9TAZ
— Uhuru Kenyatta (@UKenyatta) January 11, 2018
Kenya and South Africa have concluded over 16 instruments of cooperation, agreements, MoUs and letters of intent on training. For instance, the University of Pretoria and the Kenya Wildlife Service entered into a MOU on 16 October 2013. The MOU provides for capacity building for KWS staff in Rhinoceros DNA Index system involving DNA profiling, collection, classification and storage of information relating to population of Rhino in Rhodes Project based at the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory of the University of Pretoria. Both countries cooperate in scientific exchange, agriculture, public health, law, education and military training among others.
On trade, Kenyatta’s discussion with Zuma will focus on bridging the balance of trade which is currently highly in favour of South Africa.
He will also meet Johannesburg business community; and the Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen South Africa, Thomas Schaefer, who set up an assembling plant in Kenya in December 2016.
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Source (PSCU)
