Alfred Mutua woos Madrid for new partnerships, investments

Foreign and Diaspora Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua (left) with Spain's Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares in Madrid, Spain on Thursday, April 27, 2023. [Dr. Alfred Mutua,Twitter]

Foreign and Diaspora Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua is in Madrid, Spain for official engagements aimed at seeking new partnerships and investments.

In a statement shared on his official Twitter account, Mutua revealed that he aims to engage the Spanish government on the deliverables of agreed partnerships while also seeking to secure jobs and scholarships for Kenyans.

Upon his arrival on Thursday, April 27, 2023, Mutua was received by Spain's Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares.

Mutua hopes to woo investors and tourists to Kenya, and to gain insights on how Spain has achieved its industrial growth attracting massive tourists annually.

"I have, early this morning, arrived in Madrid, Spain for official engagements and business forums to woo investors and tourists to Kenya. We are here to engage the Spanish government on deliverables of agreed partnerships as I seek scholarships, jobs for Kenyans and partnership in investments between our two countries," Mutua said.

The two countries agreed to partner in areas such as trade and investment to create job opportunities, empower youth, improve healthcare, ensure food security, tackle climate change, and enhance regional peace and security.

"Spain is the second-most-visited country in the world, with over 75.6 million tourists visiting each year. What is their secret to attracting such a large number of visitors, and how can we apply it to Kenya to boost our tourism industry? Moreover, how can we leverage Spain's industrial growth to jumpstart the Kenyan economy?" he pondered.

Mutua had earlier encouraged Kenyans to apply for jobs in the United States, noting that the US government is working on measures to speed up visa processing at the Nairobi embassy.

"The United States is working on modalities to speed up visa processing at the Nairobi embassy to reduce the long waiting times," he said.

Mutua emphasized that Kenya's labour market, which has been unfavourable, has negatively impacted the country's social, economic, and development prospects.

He hopes by leveraging Spain's innovative technology and attracting investments, Kenya can improve its economic standing.