President William Ruto has said Kenya is committed to strengthening its ties with the Czech Republic through enhanced trade and investment.
Speaking during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala, President Ruto welcomed Czechia firms to invest in Kenya. He cited pharmaceuticals, textile, agro-processing, hospitality and fintech as the most ideal investment opportunities for Czech investors.
“Establishing a commercial hub in Kenya will offer access to the demands of the greater market in the region and Africa,” President Ruto said.
- Kenya’s imported goods worth KShs. 4.4 billion in 2022 from the Czech Republic, which was more than a billion shillings more than it had in 2021, according to figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
- Among the European sources of imports, Czech Republic is a smaller trading partner than Sweden, but bigger than Denmark.
Other sectors are green energy, ICT, health and manufacturing of industrial parts and machinery.
PM Fiala was accompanied by Czech investors who are keen on exploring investment opportunities in Kenya. “We share a long and rich history with Kenya that we must exploit to increase trade and investment volumes,” he said.
Labour Mobility
The Head of State said Kenya will work with the Czech Republic to facilitate organised labour mobility between the two countries.
“Kenya has a young and skilled labour force in the health, business, educational and industrial sectors that can offer skilled labour if needed in your country,” he said.
Other key areas of cooperation include knowledge and skill transfer in healthcare, education in science and technology, climate action, wildlife conversation and peace and security.
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