NAIROBI – Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella visit to Kenya is expected to boost trade and investment opportunities between the two countries, Foreign Affairs Minister Alfred Mutua has said.
Mutua received President Mattarella at the JKIA on Monday for a four-day official visit.
”During his visit H.E Mattarella will hold bilateral talks with H.E President Dr. William Ruto where several MOU’s are expected to be signed,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The visit is expected to boost trade and investment opportunities between the two countries and promote the development of key sectors such as water, agriculture and tourism, the statement added.
President Mattarella will also hold a public lecture on climate change at the University of Nairobi.
Water harvesting, distribution and irrigation top agenda in Italy President’s visit to Kenya
The bilateral relations between Kenya and Italy have been deepening, with the states exchanging high-level visits.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini visited Kenya in 2010, while then Prime Minister Raila Odinga visited Italy in 2009.
In July 2015, Italy Prime Minister Matteo Renzi made a two-day official visit to Nairobi and held bilateral talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta on the war on terror and investments in Kenya. In 2017, then President Kenyatta visited Italy with some other African heads of state to participate in the G7 Summit dedicated to relations with Africa. Italy at the time held the rotating G7.
The former ministers of Treasury and Agriculture also visited Italy.
According to former Italian ambassador to Kenya Mauro Massoni, Kenya is among the 22 countries around the world that receive the biggest amount of Italian development cooperation funds that finance projects spanning from rural development to water sanitation to urban planning and renewable energy.
Italy is also one of the few countries that have cancelled Kenya’s debt and converted it into 93 development initiatives.
Kenya, Italy, and ENI Kenya collaborate to build resilience against climate change
