President William Samoei Ruto graciously received Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who is currently on a State Visit to Kenya.
Abiy who was accompanied by his spouse Zinash Tayachew jetted in the country on February 27 and is set to complete his stay on February 29, 2024.
The visit was a culmination of the 36th Session of the High-Level Joint Ministerial Commission held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 19th to 21st February 2024, where seven crucial Memoranda of Understanding were signed to solidify cooperation between the two nations.
The visit was preceded by high-level engagements in Addis Ababa, focusing on various sectors such as cultural development, tourism, the blue economy, reformatory services, petroleum and energy development, and capacity building in the public sector.
These discussions underscored the commitment of both countries to bolster economic ties and explore the vast potential for collaboration between Kenya and Ethiopia.
Official Talks and Areas of Cooperation
Official talks between President Ruto and Prime Minister Abiy took place in Nairobi on 28th February 2024.
The leaders delved into bilateral cooperation across sectors like Trade and Investment, Agriculture, Fisheries, Transport, ICT, Tourism, Health, Culture, and Forestry.
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They highlighted the importance of revitalizing the Special Status Agreement of 2012 with a focus on trade and investment.
People-to-People Interaction and Trade Facilitation
Recognizing the historical ties between the two countries, Kenya declared that Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) would be issued free of charge to Ethiopian citizens to further promote friendly relations and enhance people-to-people interaction and trade facilitation.
The leaders also addressed security challenges in the Horn of Africa region, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining peace and stability.
They jointly committed to upholding state sovereignty and territorial integrity while rejecting unconstitutional changes of government and external interference in domestic political processes within African countries.
Furthermore, they highlighted the importance of sustained consultations to build partnerships in the multilateral field for reforms aimed at making organizations like the United Nations more representative, democratic, accountable, effective, and responsive to current global realities and threats.
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At the conclusion of the official visit, Prime Minister Abiy expressed profound gratitude to President Ruto, the Government of Kenya, and its people for the warm reception and generous hospitality extended to him and his delegation.
The visit marked a significant step towards deepening cooperation between Ethiopia and Kenya across various spheres.
