BY SPECIAL REPORTER-PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday at State House, Nairobi received credentials from nine High Commissioners and Ambassadors recently posted to Kenya.
High Commissioners Yusuf Yunusa (Nigeria), Damptey Bediako Asare (Ghana), and William McDonald (Barbados) presented their diplomatic papers to the Head of State.
Others were Ambassadors Khalid Abdullah A. Alsalman (Saudi Arabia), Peter Maddens (Belgium), Katarina Zuffa Leligdonova (Slovakia), Henriette Geiger (European Union), Pirkka Tapiola (Finland), and Gunner Andreas Holm (Norway).
Speaking during the event, President Kenyatta assured the envoys of the Government's support as they discharge their mandate, saying Kenya is committed to building strong and friendly relations with their respective countries.
“I look forward to working closely with you as you discharge your mandate. Consider Kenya to be your second home,” President Kenyatta said.
On his part, Barbados envoy William McDonald said he looks forward to further strengthening the existing friendly relations between Nairobi and Bridgetown, and commended Kenya for her achievements in e-governance.
“I am particularly impressed by the fantastic achievements by Kenya, its engagement in e-governance and the potential for us to establish direct people-to-people exchanges to create better opportunities,” Amb McDonald said.
He said Barbados will partner with Kenya in addressing global challenges including the Covid-19 pandemic which is ravaging Africa and the Caribbean-Pacific countries.
“We are also committed to working with you to address the reality of global health inequities particularly the Covid-19 pandemic which has hit Africa and Caribbean particularly hard,” the Barbados envoy assured President Kenyatta.
Ghana's Damptey Bediako Asare said he will help forge a stronger partnership between Kenya and his West African nation pointing out that his focus will be growing bilateral trade, investment, and tourism which are key drivers of the economies of the two nations.
“Mr President, the coming into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area, ACFTA, offers a great opportunity to Kenya and Ghana to break new frontiers in intra-Africa trade, and how it can transform African economies,” Amb Asare said.
Amb Henriette Geiger said she will strive to broaden the Kenya-European Union tries noting that the country is her bloc's key trading partner on the African continent.
“The EU is Kenya’s most important trade partner and the European Partnership Agreement will pave the way for more jobs and growth in Kenya while contributing to regional and continental integration," Amb Geiger said.
Head of Public Service Dr Joseph Kinyua, Foreign Affairs CS Raychelle Omamo and her ministry's Principal Secretary Amb Macharia Kamau attended.