Slovakia reaffirms economic ties with Kenya

Kenya's Deputy Head of Mission in Vienna, Valarie Rugene receives Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar at St Phillip's Neri Primary School in Mavoko, Machakos County. [Erastus Mulwa, Standard]

The Slovak government has reaffirmed economic ties with Kenya and its commitment to expanding cooperation in various sectors.

Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanár said they will continue to partner with Kenya on areas of mutual benefit to drive development.

Speaking at St Philip’s Neri Primary and Junior School in Mavoko, Machakos County, Blanár announced that the two countries will expand cooperation in education, healthcare, humanitarian aid, trade investment, and labor mobility.

“We have signed some MoUs on cyber security cooperation and the Slovak Security Authority and we are also preparing another MoU between the Ministry in-charge of ICT to review the cooperation of the two countries in order to achieve mutual benefit,” Blanar said.

He noted that Slovakia had a long-standing cooperation arrangement with Kenya since gaining independence in 1993, citing partnership in a total of over 400 projects. He pointed out that his visit to Kenya aimed at elevating the political and economic cooperation to achieve greater transformation.

Blanar said his visit to Kenya alongside a delegation of 35 distinguished entrepreneurs will engage the Kenyan government on Business to Business (B2B) negotiations focusing on joint ventures in cyber security, digitisation, healthcare and education. He revealed the utmost goal was to establish a joint Slovak-Kenya economic committee.

The diplomatic itinerary concluded with a visit to St. Philip Neri Primary School in Mavoko, a flagship project completely funded by the University School of Health through Slovak Aid.

The institution boasts state-of-the-art amenities, including modern science and computer laboratories, a well-stocked library, spacious classrooms, a semi-Olympic swimming pool, and a football turf.

While praising the school as a premier learning ground, Blanár called on the Kenyan government to improve local infrastructure, specifically noting that better access roads were vital to supporting such facilities.

At the same time, Kenya’s Deputy Head of Mission in Vienna, Valerie Rugene, echoed the sentiments, describing the school as “a class of its own in the middle of nowhere.” She acknowledged that the current access road was wanting and pledged to engage the Kenyan authorities to ensure the infrastructure issue is addressed.

"The school is one of the best examples of an integrated school, where well-abled and needy students are mixed and learning together," Rugene added.

Machakos County Director of Education, Margaret Mwirigi, praised the high standards set by St. Philip Neri Primary School, confirming that the institution was fully registered with the Ministry of Education and had successfully been implementing the Competency-Based Education (CBE).

She welcomed the international engagement, noting that extending similar support to public schools would be of immense help to the Kenyan child.

The school director, Nicodemus Kimuli praised the Slovak Aid for its transformative impact on the school's facilities and its contribution to the education of Kenyan learners.