Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi will on Tuesday
leave for Cairo, Egypt, for the signing of bilateral agreements between Kenya
and the North African country.
Mudavadi, who is also the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary, noted that Kenya and Egypt have enjoyed deep and lasting economic, diplomatic, and political relationship for decades, and the Cairo visit seeks to strengthen it.
The deep bilateral agreements come less than a year after Mudavadi and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry signed four MOUs on trade and investments, agriculture, tourism, energy, and infrastructure development.
“Since the Joint Cooperation Committee meeting in March 2024, both countries have finalised eight MOUs that are ready for signing during the state visit,” Mudavadi said in a statement to newsrooms.
He noted that the MOUs are in the fields of political consultations, diplomatic training, investment facilitation, cooperation in ports, youth, higher education, gender equality, and women empowerment.
Egypt is Kenya's second-largest tea importer after Pakistan.
According to government records, Kenya’s total average exports to Egypt were valued at approximately US$176.04 million (Sh22.7 billion), while imports from Egypt were valued at approximately US$. 340.10 million (Sh43.9 billion).
Mudavadi will use the opportunity to lobby Egypt to support former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s candidature for the African Union Commission's (AUC) chairperson position, whose elections are slated for February.
On May 26, 2024, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula urged Kenya’s ambassador to Egypt, Fred Outa, to strengthen bilateral trade relations between the two countries.
He highlighted Egypt’s unique potential in foreign trade, suggesting that Kenya could benefit by strengthening and expanding bilateral ties and investment cooperation.
This, he noted, would enhance regional trade and ensure balanced foreign exchange.
“With Egypt being an esteemed member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), we plan to leverage the African Free Trade Area to boost bilateral trade between Kenya and Egypt,” stated the Speaker.
He challenged Outa to identify and pursue potential partnerships that could increase trade volume between the two nations.
