President Uhuru Kenyatta boards his flight to London on May 10, 2017. [Photo/PSCU]
President Uhuru Kenyatta Wednesday traveled to the United Kingdom to attend the 3rd London Conference on Somalia.
The conference will focus on accelerating the progress of security reforms in Somalia, build on the international response to the ongoing drought and humanitarian crisis, and agree on the new international partnership needed to keep the Horn of Africa nation on course for increased peace and prosperity.
According to State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu, previous conferences of a similar nature were held in 2012 and 2013.
Mr Esipisu says the 2012 London Conference focused on the underlying causes of instability as well as the symptoms which include famine, refugees, piracy and terrorism. At the conference, the international community agreed to inject new momentum into the political process to strengthen AMISOM and help Somalia develop its own security forces to build stability at the local level.
After the London conference, President Kenyatta will head to Beijing, China, to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
The plane carrying the President and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta departed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after 9.00 am.
They were seen off at the airport by Deputy President William Ruto, Cabinet Secretaries Joseph Nkaissery and Charles Keter, Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Samson Mwathethe and National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale among other senior Government officials.