President Uhuru Kenyatta.[Photo/PSCU]
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday met Djibouti President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh and agreed on greater trade and security cooperation.
On the margins of the AU summit in Ethiopia, President Kenyatta told the Djibouti leader he was keen on greater cooperation in the livestock sector, where the Horn of African state is a leader.
“We want to explore an agreement, to work closely with Djibouti in the livestock sector. Using the window offered by Djibouti, we can improve our access to the Middle East markets,” President Kenyatta said.
President Guelleh saw collaboration in the livestock area also helping Kenya to accelerate development of its leather industry — a key plank in the manufacturing segment of the Big Four agenda.
President Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda is about affordable housing, affordable healthcare for all, food and nutrition security, and increased manufacturing.
The two leaders also discussed intelligence sharing and closer security ties, in order to effectively combat terrorism.
President Kenyatta invited President Guelleh for a state visit to Kenya, during which the two countries could sign agreements in the identified areas of cooperation.Both leaders are in Ethiopia for the 30th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly.
They also discussed the candidature of their two countries for a non-permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, and the possibility of Djbouti standing down for Kenya.
On Monday also, President Kenyatta held an informal meeting with Mozambique President Felipe Nyusi.The leaders discussed initiatives to improve bilateral and trade relations between Kenya and Mozambique.