• Muturi, who is on a three-day official visit to Jordan, committed to push for a knowledge-exchange platform between the legislatures of the two countries.
• Already, the two respective Chambers of Commerce have established links and expressed their interest for future engagement.
Image: Moses Odhiambo
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has acceded to calls for stronger bilateral ties between Kenya and Jordanian Parliament.
The relations will be bordering on growing investments through a conducive legislative regime, enhancement of trade; tourism and security.
He invited Jordanian investors to take advantage of the laws easing operations of the special economic zones and put up capital projects.
Muturi, who is on a three-day official visit to Jordan, committed to push for a knowledge-exchange platform between the legislatures of the two countries.
The speaker made the remarks when he held bilateral talks with speaker Jordan's House of Representatives Atef Al Tarawneh and the President of the Senate Faisal Alfayez on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by the Members of the House Presidium among them Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi, Panel Members Soipan Tuya, Patrick Mariru, Jessica Mbalu, Chris Omulele, Deputy Clerk Sarah Kioko and Kenya's embassy officials based in Cairo, Egypt.
In a statement on the meeting, Muturi assured of stronger relations further acknowledging that the two countries have taken similar political stands on international matters.
"We welcome this aspect of Parliamentary cooperation. Indeed, the understanding between Parliaments promotes the collaboration between the respective countries," he said.
Already, the two respective Chambers of Commerce have established links and expressed their interest for future engagement.
“As Parliament, we have already made the necessary legislative interventions for a favourable regulatory framework towards the development of Special Economic Zones as well as Export Processing Zones,” Muturi said.
He also held talks with the Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
The leaders also deliberated on collaborations on matters security, since the two countries have been victims of terror attacks, the latest being at Dusit in January.
With regard to this attack, Speaker Tarawneh expressed his sympathies with the victims and reiterated his county's commitment to continued support to the war against extremism.
Kenya and Jordan have an existing agreement on military cooperation and intelligence sharing.
Speaker Tarawneh observed that Kenya is a genuine partner in the fight against terrorism adding that the international community should take a strong stand on the matter.
Jordan, which currently hosts over 4.5 million refugees from Palestine and Syria, further called on Kenya's political support towards the Two-Party State UN resolution which calls for the establishment of the Palestine State.
At the Senate, Alfayez congratulated Kenya on her first shipment of crude oil calling for further cooperation given that Jordan is a net importer of oil.
He called on Kenya to consider a Bilateral Air Service Agreement, so as to not only enhance their respective people's interactions but to also enhance trade.
Kenya's top imports to Amman include coffee and tea. The two countries already have agreements and Memorandum of Understanding on the importation of coffee.
There is also an MOU between their Chambers of Commerce, cooperation on Defense, and an economic and trade agreement. Further, Kenyans visiting Jordan can get visas on arrival.
Muturi’s trip was on the invitation of Speaker Tarawneh. He was also to meet Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi and his counterpart for Political and Parliamentary Affairs Mousa Masytah.