NAIROBI – Australia and Kenya on Tuesday signed an MoU to enhance bilateral cooperation in trade and investment; health, education and science.
The areas of cooperation will also include regional security, defence cooperation and counterterrorism; food security and humanitarian assistance; environment and climate change; multilateral affairs, as well as sport and tourism.
Inaugural Senior Officials Talks took place in Nairobi this week between Ridwaan Jadwat, head of the Middle East and Africa Division of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australia’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Luke Williams, and their counterparts at Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs led by Director General, Bilateral and Political Affairs, Amb George Orina.
Through a joint press release, the two sides said the MoU commits to further develop friendship and cooperation between the two countries and widen the cooperation and mutual contacts.
High Commissioner Williams said Australia’s partnership with Kenya dates back nearly sixty years, and this week’s inaugural Senior Officials Talks demonstrate the importance his country places on deepening its engagement with the Kenyan government and people.
”The signing of the MOU marks a significant milestone in the growth of our bilateral relations with Kenya,.” Williams said.
On his part, Orina welcomed the agreement and said he looks forward to cooperate in facing global challenges such as climate change, food insecurity and conflict.
“Today also presents our two nations with new opportunities in trade and investment; health, education and science; and will connect us further around two of our greatest exports – sport and tourism,” Orina said.
The Director General also said multilateral issues such as the reform of the United Nations and other institutions as well as trading arrangements were discussed.
“We have also spoken to principles that underpin multilateral and bilateral engagements that include the respect of sovereignty of states and how that comes into play when it coms to relations between countries.
The regional instability was also discussed in particular Kenya’s efforts in regional peace and security and collaboration opportunities to advance the efforts within the region.
The meeting follows the visit of Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts, who met his Kenyan counterpart Dr Alfred Mutua on February 20,2023.
Dr Mutua acknowledged the significance of Kenya-Australia relations in Kenya’s development agenda and welcomed robust political, commercial and economic engagement between the two countries.
“They noted the role of the Kenyan diaspora in Australia and agreed to work together to promote their welfare as Kenya seeks more opportunities for her nationals.
“CS Mutua underscored Kenya’s strategic positioning and ease of connectivity and called on Australian businesses to take advantage of this positioning as a gateway to an even wider African market through the African Continental Free Trade Area,” Foreign Affairs ministry said in a statement.
The CS called for a strong and revitalized Bilateral Cooperation Framework that gives structure to Kenya-Australia Bilateral Cooperation.
On his part, Watts noted that Kenya was a strategic partner, and that both countries were keen on positive multilateralism and further pointed out that his government was seeking more engagement with Africa.
