Ruto holds insecurity, terrorism talks with Saudi Crown Prince

President William Ruto and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman held bilateral talks on Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The two leaders held discussions on insecurity and terrorism that are slugging developments.

Ruto called for more cooperation from the globe to tame the crisis.

However, he regretted that insecurity, violence and terrorism risk slugging the advancements.

"We must come up with a lasting solution to the conflicts in Africa if we are to progress further. We have a long-standing tie, yet we have not explored it fully," Ruto said.

The President urged Saudi Arabia to step forward to make Africa more peaceful because of 'the shared vision'.

The Crown Prince exuded confidence that Saudi Arabia will work with Kenya to spur regional stability.

"We need security in East Africa and the Red Sea. If Kenya is a success, then Africa is," he said.

The Crown Prince said that Saudi Arabia will use Kenya as a platform to broaden its forays into Africa.

The Crown Prince said Kenya is a pillar of stability and growth in Africa.

"We have to pay closer attention to it; it is a country with a future," he said.

As a model country, the Crown Prince noted that Saudi Arabia was committed to pushing for more investments in Kenya.

He noted that particular focus will be placed on the renewable energy sector.

The two leaders spoke on Tuesday at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh.

President Ruto said Africa has made progress in economic growth, regional cooperation and democratisation.

Earlier, the two leaders attended the opening session of the Future Investment Initiative.

Ruto insisted that the world can only grow and prosper when countries work together.

"That is how we can discover, navigate and expand new frontiers and markets," he said.

Ruto also met PepsiCo’s CEO for Africa, the Middle East and South Asia Eugene Willemsen.

The two discussed approaches to advancing farming in Kenya to increase production.

“PepsiCo’s broadening of its portfolio will accelerate Kenya’s exploitation of irrigation-fed agriculture, expanding economic opportunities for our youth,” he said.