Top EU diplomat in Kenya to boost bilateral, regional cooperation

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – The EU’s top diplomat on Friday met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss future EU ties with Kenya and the six-nation East African Community bloc.

Kenyatta witnessed the signing of a joint declaration on the Kenya-European Union strategic dialogue by Foreign Minister Raychelle Omamo and visiting EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, said a statement by the presidency in the capital Nairobi.

The declaration, signed at the State House, will guide bilateral Kenya-EU negotiations in three main areas: peace, security, and stability; sustainability, including implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and the economy, trade, and development.

In a statement, Borrell said that he had “discussed with President Kenyatta how to take forward EU-Kenya partnership, three weeks before an (African Union) AU-EU summit. We are strategic and like-minded partners working on prosperity, stability, and peace and security for the whole Horn of Africa region.”

After the meeting with Kenyatta, in a joint press conference, Borrell and Raychelle praised the warm and strong cordial relations that exist between Kenya and the European Union.

The two leaders welcomed an economic partnership agreement between the EU and the East African Community and committed themselves to work towards its successful implementation.