• The nations have swapped high-level visits and Kenya benefited from infrastructure investments
• Belgium is a key development partner, with over Sh16 billion development initiatives.
Image: Moses Mwangi
Belgium established diplomatic relations with Kenya in 1963, and the two states have since enjoyed cordial relations.
The two states have enhanced these ties through the exchange of high-level visits.
President Uhuru Kenyatta visited Brussels in June 2016, during which he held bilateral talks with the then Prime Minister Charles Michel and King Philippe.
This was followed by a visit to Kenya by Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Didier Reynders in November 2016, and a visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo in March 2018.
Belgium is a key development partner, with over Sh16 billion development initiatives. For instance, the Belgian government has partnered with Kenya and Belgian company Aspac International to deliver the Sh1.9 billion Mavoko drinking water project to supplement the current rationed water supply with 12,000 cubic metres per day supply.
In 2015, Belgium granted Kenya Sh1.5 billion in form of loans to support Kajiado Rural Water Supply project. John Cockerill (ex-CMI Balteau) signed a Sh1.5 billion project for drilling water wells in Kajiado county and to drill and equip around 50 sink boreholes, construct water tanks and consumption points for locals and their animals.
This Belgian company was also to undertake two other major water projects in Vihiga (rehabilitation and expansion of water production sites of Maseno, Mbale, Kaimosi) and Homa Bay (Ndhiwa, Rodi Kopany and Got Asego). Thanks to the support of the Belgian state, a new contract is under negotiation for collection and treatment of wastewater in Kimumu (El Doret). The amount is about Sh3.7 billion, with the combination of state-to-state loan and soft loan at very favourable conditions.
There is also the Kenya-Belgium project in marine sciences launched in January 1985. The project was initially a collaboration between the Free University of Brussels (VUB) and the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI). This has enabled the marine research organisation to train more than 70 research scientists, while the donation of the Marine Research Vessel, RV Mtafiti, by The Flemish Sea Institute (VLIZ) has strengthened KMFRI’s capacity to carry out marine studies and research.
Other key projects are the Network County Connectivity project, medical equipment with installations for diagnosis to cover at least one hospital in each county, the upgrading of firefighting equipment in Nairobi, and medical waste treatment technology for hospitals, a very important project in the time of Covid-19. Other sectors that have benefited from this support include the Energy Generation Wind Farm in Ngong Hills, with a capacity to produce 5.1 MW of clean energy.
“Today, the support given by my country to Kenya primarily focuses on the creation of non-commercially viable infrastructure, such as water pumping, treatment and distribution, medical waste treatment or the acquisition of fire engines,” Amb Nicholas Nihon said in a past opinion article in 2018.
Kenyan imports from Belgium was $159.98 million in 2018, according to the United Nations Comtrade database on international trade, while exports were $62.63 million. Exports included tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes, coffee, tea, mate and spices, and vegetables, while imports are pharmaceutical products, mineral fuels, oils, distillation products and electrical and electronic equipment.
“This trade imbalance presents an opportunity for us to find innovative ways of closing the gap,” CS Amina Mohamed said in 2018. “I recommend we make use of commercially available business opportunities like diversification of exports, value addition, foreign direct investment in the emerging areas of ICT, gas, coal and oil.”
Kibii Eliud is an international affairs analyst, writer and commentator