President Ruto In Mission To Strengthen Bilateral Ties with India in Landmark Visit
President William Ruto of Kenya is on a two-day state visit to India, marking a significant milestone in the relationship between the two nations. The visit comes hot on the heels of Ruto’s successful advocacy for Kenya and Africa’s climate agenda at the UN Climate Conference (COP 28) in Dubai.
The centerpiece of the visit, as outlined in a press release by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed, will be bilateral talks between President Ruto and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The discussions are expected to cover a wide range of critical sectors, including agriculture, trade, investment promotion, healthcare, pharmaceutical production, capacity building, education, ICT, maritime affairs, and renewable energy. State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed emphasized that these talks will lead to the signing of several memoranda of understanding aimed at strengthening the partnership between Kenya and India.
In the statement, Mohamed highlighted the key areas of focus for the talks, stating, “Bilateral discussions will span crucial areas such as agriculture, trade and investment promotion, ICT, maritime affairs, and renewable energy.” The collaboration is poised to bring about mutually beneficial outcomes for both nations.
President Ruto is expected to meet with India’s President Droupadi Murmu during the visit. The two leaders will address a trade and investment forum, shedding light on the vast potential for economic cooperation between Kenya and India. Hussein Mohamed underlined the significance of the State Visit, saying, “It marks a significant milestone in the relationship between Kenya and India, providing a platform for collaborative initiatives and contributing to mutual benefits for the two nations and peoples.”
The State Visit follows President Ruto’s recent visit to Dubai for the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28), where he led African heads of state at the Africa Green Industrialization Initiative. Ruto’s efforts resulted in Kenya securing impressive deals worth 4.5 billion US dollars to support green industrialization projects in the country. These include investments in green fertilizer projects, a data center in partnership with KenGen and Konza City, and a 300-megawatt geothermal project at Suswa.
Ruto’s advocacy for Africa’s climate agenda has garnered international recognition. COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber praised Ruto for his “unprecedented climate brilliance” and credited him with bringing Africa together for the inaugural Africa Climate Summit. Al Jaber stated, “The unprecedented climate action brilliance of Kenya’s President William Ruto in launching the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) earlier this year and as a champion of climate action for Africa and the Global South has contributed immensely to setting the stage for COP28.”
President Ruto expressed gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s role in ensuring that the African Union becomes a permanent member of the G20. “India has made a very huge contribution. We want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making sure that Africa became a permanent member of the G20 during his presidency. And we will be having further conversations with him,” Ruto remarked.
The visit to India is poised to enhance the longstanding bilateral relationship between Kenya and India. India’s Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement, noted that President Ruto’s visit comes after over six years and is expected to “strengthen and invigorate the bilateral relations between the two countries.”
President Ruto will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan on December 5, and President Droupadi Murmu will host a State banquet in his honor.
As President Ruto engages in crucial discussions with Indian leaders and explores opportunities for collaboration, the world will be watching to see how these initiatives will contribute to the economic growth and development of both Kenya and India.