Kenya, Colombia hold inaugural Joint Commission for Cooperation

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary  Alfred Mutua and the Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Francisco J.Coy held an inaugural session of the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) in Bogota.

This is in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in May to establish the JCC.

The Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his host the Vice President of Colombia Francia Márquez witnessed the signing of the Agreed Minutes of the JCC.

The CS commended Colombia for remaining a valuable friend and partner of Kenya in the context of South-South cooperation and looks forward to continued engagement in the furtherance of mutual interests.

Other possible areas of cooperation include; manufacturing, renewable energy, the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, defence, education, environment and South-South Cooperation.

The CS also highlighted that Kenya's strengthened cooperation is aligned with the implementation of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (Beta) which is anchored on five strategic priority sectors of Agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME), Affordable Housing & Settlement, Healthcare & Digital Superhighway and Creative Industry.

Furthermore, the CS also signed a Declaration of Intent with the Colombian Minister of Mines and Energy Irene Velez Terres.

In May, Kenya and Colombia signed agreements to help them boost trade and knowledge exchange in various sectors of the economy.

The MoUs were signed during a meeting between Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Colombian Vice President Franica Elena Marquez Mina at his residence in Karen.

Among the agreements signed were the establishment of a Joint Commission for Cooperation, and Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

Gachagua said Kenya was focused on increasing a two-way trade and investment cooperation with Colombia.

"This by prioritizing commercial programs and promotion of business interactions between in the MSMEs, the private sector and Business Management Organisations," he said.