Swiss leader to hold talks with Uhuru, tour Kakuma

Swiss President Alain Berset is expected to hold talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi County in his three day visit before touring Kakuma. [Courtesy]

Swiss President Alain Berset (pictured) lands this evening for a three-day official visit that will also take him to Kakuma refugee camp.

Mr Berset will hold talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi, tomorrow where they will discuss economic and political relations between the two countries.

Also expected to feature in the talks is cooperation in the health sector and fight against corruption.

The political situation in Eastern Africa and international cooperation between Switzerland and Kenya will also be on the agenda.

Kenya is one of Switzerland's five most important trading partners south of the Sahara. It is the Swiss that built the iconic Utalii College in the 1970s, and trained Kenya’s first batch of hotel managers. 

“I am delighted that the President of the Swiss Confederation is paying an official visit to Kenya. This proves that Kenya is important to Switzerland and vice versa. The visit will advance important bilateral ties such as our cooperation in the fight against corruption and economic relations,” said Switzerland Ambassador to Kenya Ralf Heckner.

Mr Berset will also meet Chief Justice David Maraga, the civil society and members of the arts scene and the Swiss community.

He will fly to the Kakuma refugee camp in Turkana County on Tuesday. Swiss Humanitarian Aid finances vocational training and other projects in the camp.

The Swiss embassy recently moved to a new building in Gigiri. “2018 is a special year -- we inaugurated our new embassy building in Gigiri in February, and today the President of the Swiss Confederation is arriving for a three-day visit. With that we are truly putting Switzerland on the Kenyan map,” he said.