NAIROBI – Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday ahead of his state visit starting Wednesday.
PM Abiy and spouse Zinash Tayachew were welcomed by President William Ruto and a host of leaders at a rainy JKIA Tuesday evening.
Among those who accompanied the President to welcome the PM are Prime CS and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi, Defence CS Aden Duale and Roads counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singóei, Majority Leader in the National Assembly and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah and his Lang’ata counterpart Felix Odiwuor alias Jalang’o and Ethiopia Ambassador to Kenya Bacha Debele Buta were also present.
From the airport, Abiy and Tayachew, accompanied by President Ruto made a stop over and officially opened the Sama Source Kenya EPZ Limited, an artificial intelligence algorithms centre at Sameer Business Park along Mombasa Road.
There, PM Abiy said what makes the “marriage” between Ethiopia and Kenya is their interest in the future of their youth, even as he ecouraged the youngsters in data mining to use AI for the protection of the country and Africa.
Ruto said his administration’s intentional investment in ICT infrastructure is a deliberate move to make Kenya a skills-based economy.
“With the Government’s bias on new and specialised domains, the youth will stay current with emerging industry demands, guaranteeing them income,” Ruto said.
Regarding the visit, Mudavadi noted that it marks a significant milestone in the strengthening of relations between Nairobi and Addis Ababa, symbolizing enduring partnerships between the two nations.
“Together, we are poised to explore key diplomatic initiatives, foster economic collaborations, and pursue a shared vision for the future,” he said on X.
Last week on Wednesday, Mudavadi co-chaired the 36th Ethiopia-Kenya Joint Ministerial Commission with his Ethiopian counterpart Ambassador Atske Selassie, where the two sides concluded a strategic framework that outlines key areas of economic and social development.
Seven MoUs were also signed covering tourism, wildlife, culture, blue economy, petroleum, correctional services and capacity building in public service
