Business

By Brian Otieno and Mike Kihaki | Sep. 30, 2024

Kenya plans to enhance partnerships with China beyond the Belt and Road Initiative projects, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has pledged.

Mudavadi who represented the government on Sunday during commemorating 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Nairobi assured that the government would facilitate Chinese private sector investments.

The investments would be in multiple areas among them ICT, renewable energy, education and joint research, retail, hotel and housing.

Mudavadi said the move aims to enhance the Kenya-China strategic partnership and ensure deeper bilateral co-operation and integration of the Kenyan and Chinese people.

“Presently, Kenya is investing significant resources in infrastructure development so as to unlock existing, yet unexploited opportunities to create jobs and alleviate poverty especially in rural areas,” said Mudavadi.

He expressed Nairobi’s commitment towards implementing initiatives agreed upon during the recent Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) held in Beijing to spur development and economic transformation.

“The initiatives and Focac combined are catalysts towards impactful, affordable and sustainable socio-economic development, pulling together to build a community with a shared future for humanity,” said the prime cabinet secretary. 

He praised China's substantial foreign direct investment in Kenya, particularly in critical infrastructure projects that have significantly contributed to the country's development.

While commending the strong fraternal ties between the two countries, Mudavadi further lauded China's remarkable achievements and the resilience of the Chinese people, which has contributed to the country's impressive transformation into a modern nation.

"We applaud China's robust foreign direct investment, particularly in infrastructure projects. Let's continue strengthening our ties, enhancing cooperation, and pursuing shared opportunities for mutual growth," said Mudavadi.

The commitment was shared by China’s Ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjian, who underscored the benefits African states stood to gain from the initiatives proposed during the Focac summit.

“The outcomes of the just concluded Focac Beijing summit will benefit all African countries that have diplomatic relations with China and effectively lift China-Afrca cooperation to new heights. The outcomes are of far-reaching significance for guiding the development of China-Africa relations and achieving modernisation for both sides,” said Pingjian.

He highlighted the significance of China's relations with various nations benefitting from the country's ethos of hard work and resilience of the Chinese people, who, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, have surmounted numerous challenges to achieve remarkable national development.

One striking example of China's progress is the substantial increase in life expectancy. At the time of the PRC's founding in 1949, life expectancy in China stood at 35 years but has more than doubled, exceeding 78 years.

Other areas of remarkable transformation education, healthcare, and security. China has built the world's largest education system, providing opportunities for millions of students to pursue higher learning.

Its healthcare system has also witnessed significant advancements, contributing to the improved life expectancy.

The achievements underscores China's rapid industrialisation and economic growth, catapulting the country to the global stage as a super power.

Pingjian described Kenya as an equal partner and expressed China's readiness to further tighten diplomatic ties between the two countries.