June 10, 2019 Meeting with the Leadership of the Republic of Kenya

On June 10, 2019 the All-Russia Public Organization Delovaya Rossiya (Business Russia) hosted the delegation from the Republic of Kenya headed by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Hon. P.G.Munya.

From the Russian side, the meeting (“round table”) was attended by: Vice-President, Head of the Executive Committee of Business Russia N.S.Kagramanyan; representatives of Business Russia; heads of two Russian companies and organizations; Group Head, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Global and Strategic Studies, Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ph.D. (Economics) K.A. Aleshin.

From the Kenyan - Hon. P.G.Munya; Chairperson of the Council of Governors of Kenya, Governor of Kakamega County Hon. W.A.Oparanya; Governor of Siaya County Hon. A.C.Rasanga; Governor of Kisii County Hon. J.Ongwae; Governor of Bungoma County W.W.Wangamati; Charge d’Affaires of the Republic of Kenya in Russia W.Mwanjala, other officials.

At the “round table”, the parties discussed the development of trade and investment relations, including promising areas of cooperation, participation of representatives of Russian and Kenyan business in the Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for the autumn and the business forum dedicated to it.

K.Aleshin described the current state of bilateral economic relations, identified areas of cooperation with the highest potential (pharmaceuticals, chemical industry, renewables), suggested specific mechanisms for enhancing interaction.

The report of the Institute’s representative aroused the interest of the Kenyan side. In the subsequent discussion, the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives of the Republic of Kenya Hon. P.G.Munya proposed the Charge d’Affaires of the Republic of Kenya in Russia Mrs. W.Mwanjala to work out the proposals with the Russian side.

The leadership of Business Russia and the representatives of the Kenyan delegation agreed to take a number of practical steps before the Russia-Africa Summit.

It should be noted that a few days earlier, on June 7, 2019 on the sidelines of the XXIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia S.V.Lavrov held a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Kenya M.Juma, who was in Russia on a working visit.

More to say, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia M.L.Bogdanov met in March with the President of the Republic of Kenya U.M.Kenyatta in Nairobi, Kenya.

Regular contacts at various levels demonstrate the interest of Russia and Kenya in the development of mutually beneficial multifaceted bilateral cooperation.

Prepared by the Group Head, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Global and Strategic Studies, Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ph.D. (Economics) K.A. Aleshin