President Uhuru Kenyatta wrapped up the G7 summit on Sunday, with pledges from Canada to support Kenya’s plans to tap its Ocean resources and improve two-way investment.
President Kenyatta met his host Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Quebec City for bilateral talks, and the Canadian leader promised to work to strengthen bilateral and trade relations between the two countries.
President Kenyatta hailed Prime Minister Trudeau’s plan for Canada to offer $2.9 billion with the help of its G7 partners to fund education for the world’s poorest girls and women.
President Kenyatta presented the PM with a sentimental gift, a picture of the Canadian leader during a visit to Kenya as a young boy in the 1980s. Canada on Saturday announced the education fund, terming it one of the single largest investments in education for women and girls in developing countries.
It is projected that the proposed investment in education could help educate more than eight million children and teenagers.
President Kenyatta also commended Prime Minister Trudeau for steering the expanded “outreach segment” of the G7, which discussed concrete actions to protect the health of marine environment and ensure a sustainable use of marine resources as part of a renewed agenda to increase global biodiversity protection.
Leaders of Argentina, Bangladesh, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Norway, Rwanda (Chair of the African Union), Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa and Vietnam attended the outreach with the G7.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the Summit, the G7 leaders endorsed the “Charlevoix Blueprint for Healthy Oceans, Seas and Resilient Coastal Communities” that seeks to improve oceans knowledge, promote sustainable oceans and fisheries, support resilient coasts and coastal communities.
The leaders of the most industrialized countries in the world pledged to promote African capabilities to better prevent, respond to, and manage crisis and conflicts; and to strengthen democratic institutions. President Kenyatta will depart Quebec City for home on Monday morning.