Kenya and EU strengthen ties
Kenya has been identified as a “strong democratic partner” to the EU.
CAPE TOWN, June 22 (ANA) – Kenya has been identified as a “strong democratic partner” to the EU as the president of Kenya wrapped up his diplomatic visit to Belgium on Tuesday.
The regional European body and Kenya have strengthened ties after President Uhuru Kenyatta launched a strategic dialogue with Charles Michel, president of the European Council, on Monday in Belgium’s capital of Brussels, according to a joint statement released on Tuesday.
“The strategic dialogue underlines the solid bilateral and multilateral partnership between the European Union and Kenya and interest to mutually co-operate,” the joint statement read.
The EU has identified Kenya as a “strong democratic partner” in East Africa with the “potential for enhancing regional stability”.
The two parties are said to have common goals of combating climate change, as well as ensuring peace and security, and improving trade relations between them.
This latest diplomatic mission was built on a previous visit by the EU to Kenya’s capital of Nairobi in May 2021, where the EU affirmed its commitment to “upgrade” its relationship with Kenya.
Kenyatta arrived in Belgium on Sunday evening, where he was received by Belgium’s King Philippe at the Royal Palace in Brussels, State House Kenya tweeted.
Meanwhile, on Monday evening, more than 350,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine were received by Kenya from the government of Denmark, a member of the EU since 1973, according to Kenya’s Ministry of Health and the EU.
The AstraZeneca vaccine was received to supplement the shortage of vaccines in Kenya and will be safe to use until the end of July, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
Kenya’s Ministry of Health stated on Tuesday that nearly 1.2 million vaccine doses have been administered across the country.
The total number of Covid-19 cases in Kenya has risen to 179,876, with the number of deaths rising by 23 to 3,484 as of June 22.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher
