[Photo: PSCU]
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday held talks with G7 leaders, focused on forging a closer cooperation in trade, investment, security, technology-sharing and development.
President Kenyatta held separate meetings on the margins of the G7 Summit in Taormina, Italy, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, host Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and newly elected President Emmanuel Macron of France.
During his meeting with President Kenyatta, Japanese Prime Minister Abe thanked Kenya for hosting a successful TICAD conference in 2016.
Prime Minister Abe informed President Kenyatta of Japan’s intention to support South Sudan through its official development aid. He expressed a desire to continue working with Kenya at the multilateral level including on the threat from North Korea.
President Kenyatta appreciated Japan’s support for the modernisation of the port of Mombasa and for energy partnership, saying he expected the Kenya-Japan cooperation to continue to grow. The President expressed hope that Japan would continue to support South Sudan, a sister country currently facing a number of challenges.
The Japanese Prime Minister promised to continue supporting Kenya’s energy sector.
The meeting between President Kenyatta and Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni discussed cooperation in security, fighting terror and maritime matters.
They also discussed increasing the volume of Kenyan exports to Italy, which currently include coffee, tea, hides and skins, fish, leather, fruits and vegetables, and cut flowers.
Kenya is also looking at support for its projects in value-addition while Italy is keen to keep its share of the Kenyan market in machinery, fertilisers and accessories for medicines.
With Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, President Kenyatta discussed support for healthcare – an area in which Canada has great interest, democracy, investments and innovation. President Kenyatta extended an invite to the Canadian Prime Minister to visit Kenya.
At the meeting with Chancellor Merkel, President Kenyatta emphasised strengthening ties between Kenya and Germany. Chancellor Merkel took the opportunity to officially invite President Kenyatta to attend the G20 Summit in July.
President Kenyatta also held talks with President Macron of France and discussed investment, migration and trade. President Kenyatta also congratulated President Macron on his election victory.