The latest push came
during a high-level visit to Minsk by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, who met
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and senior parliamentary leaders.
Speaker Kingi, who
was accompanied by Kenya’s Ambassador to Russia and accredited to Belarus Peter
Mathuki, called for the development of a Kenya-Belarus cooperation roadmap that
would anchor long-term collaboration.
He met with Council
of the Republic of the National Assembly chairperson Natalya Kochanova in Minsk
on December 8.
“It would be
beneficial to draw up a roadmap for cooperation between Belarus and Kenya,
outlining all areas of mutually beneficial collaboration,” Kingi said.
“One of the pillars
of this cooperation could be efforts to ensure food security in our country.
Kenya can learn much from Belarus in this sector, including through the
procurement of tractors and fertilisers.
“We hope that
Belarus will also be able to build up the production of its goods within our
country."
Kingi, who was also
accompanied by Narok Senator Ledam ole Kina, said the foundation of the visit
was the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation with Belarus, which adds
momentum to past high-level engagements by the executive.
On Wednesday, Kingi
met Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko at the Independence Palace in
Minsk, a meeting he termed “a key engagement in my official visit”.
“During our
discussions, I assured President Lukashenko of the firm commitment of the
Parliament of Kenya to collaborate with the Parliament of the Republic of
Belarus in expanding and deepening our bilateral relations for the shared
prosperity in our two countries,” he said.
Kingi said the two
countries now have an opportunity to elevate relations to a level where
economic, political and technological exchanges are structured and predictable.
Among the areas he
said have potential economic benefits in deepening ties with Belarus are
agricultural technology, industrial equipment and mining.
“We have mineral
resources, and this is another area where we can cooperate,” Kingi said, adding
that planned exchanges of business delegations would allow private sector
actors to assess opportunities on both sides.
In December 2023,
President William Ruto said Kenya was keen to harness Belarus’s technology in
agriculture.
“Immense
opportunities exist between Kenya and Belarus that must be exploited for the
prosperity of the two countries,” he said following his meeting with President
Lukashenko in Nairobi.
“Kenya is
particularly keen on harnessing the eastern European country’s advanced
technology in agriculture to boost productivity.”
Kingi also said
Kenya could serve as a gateway for Belarusian products into the wider African
market due to its strategic position and transport infrastructure.
With access to
seaports, major airports and regional trade corridors, investment in Kenya, he
argued, automatically provides entry into the continent’s major markets under
the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Another area
discussed was the potential to establish direct air links between Nairobi and
Minsk.
Kingi said direct
flights would unlock trade in perishable goods, such as Kenya’s globally
competitive flowers, and expand opportunities in tourism and cargo transport.
“I am confident this
issue will also be raised when our President visits your country,” he added.
The Kenya Kwanza
manifesto indicated the administration would not only focus on its traditional
allies but also engage with other willing players.
“We will not only
deepen our bonds with our long-standing international and bilateral partners,
including the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, China and
India, but also extend our friendship to anyone with whom we believe a mutually
beneficial relationship can be formed,” the manifesto read.
