President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday received credentials from three new ambassadors to Kenya.
They are China’s first female ambassador to Kenya, Sun Baohong; Sri Lanka’s Commissioner-designate Weerawardena de Silva and New Zealand’s non-resident ambassador-designate Mark Ramsden, who will reside in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
At State House in Nairobi, the President
told Baohong that Kenya had enjoyed a strong mutual understanding with her predecessor, Liu Xianfa, and hoped that the partnership between the two countries will continue during her term in Nairobi.
The new ambassador pledged to use her new position to enhance Sino-Kenyan relations and deepen ties between Nairobi and Beijing.
Baohong, the 15th Chinese Ambassador to Nairobi, is also her country’s permanent representative to two global institutions - the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat).
New Zealand’s non-resident ambassador-designate Mark Ramsden, China’s first female ambassador to Kenya Sun Baohong, President Uhuru Kenyatta, Foreign Affairs CS Monica Juma
and Sri Lanka’s Commissioner-designate Weerawardena de Silva at State House in Nairobi, June 5, 2018. /PSCU
China and Kenya have for many years enjoyed mutual collaboration in areas including infrastructure development and manufacturing.
Kenya is keen on tapping into Chinese investments in the manufacturing sector by harnessing Beijing’s technical prowess, capital and experience to promote industrial growth as outlined in the Vision 2030 blue-print.
The cooperation is aimed at creating jobs locally and boosting Kenya’s export potential.
Uhuru told the New Zealand ambassador that Kenya wishes to prosper the relationship with the Australasia nation.
He singled out the geothermalenergy sector and sports - rugby in particular - as
the two areas where the two nations could cooperate for mutual benefit.
The President called for stronger people-to-people ties with Sri Lanka.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma attended the function.