The Diplomat
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, was received yesterday in Nairobi by the President of the Republic of Kenya, William Ruto, as part of his current official tour of this country and South Africa to intensify political relations and promote the interests of Spanish companies in both countries.
According to Moncloa, Kenya is “a priority country” in Spain’s foreign policy towards Sub-Saharan Africa, as reflected in the III Africa Plan (2019), the Horizon Africa Strategy (2020) and the Africa Focus 2023. Likewise, the country enjoys “one of the most stable and solid democracies in the region, displaying significant political leadership and playing a relevant role in the stabilization and peace in the extensive area of the Horn of Africa and East Africa”, and has consolidated “as the political, economic and logistical center of East Africa and the largest economy in East Africa”.
During their meeting, Sánchez and Ruto signed a Joint Declaration in which they reaffirmed “the warm and productive relations between Kenya and Spain, characterized by shared values, strong economic links and a commitment to multilateralism and rules-based international order”. Likewise, the Kenyan President accepted Sánchez’s invitation to pay an official visit to Spain, “during dates to be mutually agreed through diplomatic channels”.
In the Declaration, Kenya “warmly welcomed” the interest of Spanish companies in the tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, water management and renewable energy sectors and both countries agreed on the need to “continue working on those fields to promote the presence of Spanish companies, seeking to contribute to Kenya’s sustainable, diversified, and inclusive economic development”.
The two leaders also expressed their commitment to strengthen economic and investment relations between the two countries and celebrated that, although bilateral flows have shown a very positive upward trend in the last decade, “there is still significant room for improvement”. They also pointed out that the renewal of the current Financial Protocol to be addressed by the two countries will involve a new remittance of funds and will modernize the existing financing instruments, thus facilitating the implementation of priority projects in Kenya by Spanish companies.
Precisely, before the meeting with President Ruto, Sánchez held a meeting with a representation of Spanish companies (including many SMEs) present in Kenya for a long time and with “declared vocation of permanence and to continue contributing to the development and prosperity of the country”, according to Moncloa. The President of the Government is accompanied by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, and by a delegation of Spanish companies with interests in the area.
During the meeting, the Spanish companies -world leaders in sectors such as water infrastructures, renewable energies, railroads or the agri-food industry- expressed to Sánchez their willingness to contribute to the economic transformation priorities that William Ruto’s new government wishes to promote.
Pedro Sánchez also highlighted to President Ruto “the important role that Kenya is playing as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council” in the search for peace in Ukraine. The President of the Government also visited yesterday the United Nations Office in Kenya (Nairobi is the only African city with a UN headquarters) and the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute, where AECID has promoted and financed a project that promotes the empowerment of women through entrepreneurship.
