Kenya signs women empowerment, trade deals with Zimbabwe

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta. [File, Standard]

Kenya has signed seven MOUs with Zimbabwe, including trade and tourism promotion, women and youth empowerment programmes, among others.

Addressing journalists at State House, Nairobi on Wednesday, March 9, President Uhuru Kenyatta, who hosted his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa, said the deals would better the lives of citizens of both countries.

Kenyatta urged the Western countries to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe.

“The illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe continue to cause problems for its citizens. We continue to call on the international community to remove these illegal sanctions,” Kenyatta said.

Kenya and the southern Africa nation also signed cooperation deals in sporting activities, political and diplomatic consultation, tourism, aircraft accident investigations, youth affairs, wildlife conservation and promotion of cooperatives.

Kenyatta said both nations were also exploring arrangements that would allow free travel between Kenya and Zimbabwe.

“Our technical teams are under instruction to expedite the implementation of the actions that have been agreed upon today, and we are very keen to build on this historic visit to establish a strong and vibrant partnership between our two countries,” said the Kenyan president.

Kenyatta also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to scale up efforts to achieve gender equality and to strengthen women empowerment.

In his address, President Mnangagwa welcomed Kenyatta’s call, seeking to have sanctions against Zimbabwe lifted.

Also key in his speech, was the need to tackle climate change and address environmental degradation concerns.

The visiting President and his wife Auxillia Mnangagwa are on a three-day State tour of Kenya.