President Samia Suluhu of Tanzania has pledged to cement historical friendship and brotherhood between Tanzania and Kenya.
The president who is on her two-day official visit to Kenya said both countries need to set up sound policies to build strong economies and cooperation.
Speaking during a State banquet hosted in her honour by President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta on Tuesday evening, Suluhu said her era of leadership will strive to strengthen historical ties that exist between the two countries especially in economic cooperation.
"Investments from Kenya to Tanzania are largely good. We have about 513 Kenyan companies in Tanzania but from Tanzania to Kenya we have only 30 companies. Now when I go back I will urge more Tanzanian investors to come in and set shop in Kenya so that we can improve on our economies," Suluhu said.
She said that in her private talks with Uhuru, they agreed on the need to create a conducive environment for the private sector to thrive and participate fully in economic development.
The two leaders announced that they have signed a deal to build a pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa to address the energy needs of the two countries.
Suluhu further announced on the first day of her visit that the two countries had agreed to cooperate in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said her other reason for visiting was to introduce herself, saying Kenya was among the first countries to recognise her as the president after she was sworn in following the death of her predecessor.
"Immediately I was sworn-in as President, my brother called me and even when he attended the state funeral he told me, ‘ Samia you have no reason to fear to lead this nation because you have been mentored well by Magufuli and there’s nothing that you don’t know," she recalled her conversation with Uhuru at the time.
On his part, Uhuru assured her guest that Kenya will continue to work with Tanzania to achieve the vision of full regional integration held by East Africa's founding fathers.
“To us, Tanzanians are not just neighbours but rather they are our brothers. I have no doubt that our sister President Samia Suhulu will continue with the position which her predecessors took just as I will also do so to improve our relations between our citizens as all that is required is to ensure our brotherhood lasts,” Uhuru said.
