State visit · 5 December 2023
I have been here in the Republic of India, on a State visit at the invitation of His Excellency the President, Smt. Droupadi Murmu. With me is a delegation of cabinet secretaries and other senior officials from both the public and private sectors.
We have been very well received in India, and have enjoyed wonderful hospitality and facilitation for our various formal and informal meetings and events.
This visit has provided me, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people and government of Kenya, to perform several critical tasks. The first of these is our primary duty, in the spirit of the best traditions of bilateral diplomacy, to honour the invitation of the Indian state, to make a state visit. A gesture of this magnitude signifies the high level of trust and friendship that exists between two nations and demonstrates the mutual respect between respective leaders. I am therefore in India, foremost, in furtherance of Kenya's strong bilateral bonds with an important ally of our nation.
The second reason for my visit has been to find an opportunity to pay my respects, express gratitude and congratulate His Excellency the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, at the conclusion of his presidency of the G20 and the immense positive impact of his leadership in terms of amplifying the voice and presence of the Global South in multilateral forums and agendas. Most critically, the African Union became a permanent member of the G20 under his leadership.
Under His Excellency Prime Minister Modi, our drive to rehabilitate multilateralism and enable it to live up to its full promise and the ideals of a rule-based international order received unfaltering support. Africa, in particular, appreciated Hon. Modi's unwavering backing of the African Union's positions on various matters of critical importance in numerous multilateral forums, including the urgent need to undertake a radical overhaul of both the United Nations Security Council and the fundamental architecture of the international development financing system.
In the spirit of firm solidarity, Prime Minister Modi dispatched a strong delegation to the inaugural Africa Climate Summit, which I co-hosted in Nairobi early in September, and thus made his significant contribution to the successful outcome of that event.
The third aim of making this visit is to significantly expand the breadth and increase the depth of Kenya-India bilateral relations. Our two countries are not just maritime neighbours across the Indian Ocean, we share a rich history of peaceful interaction, exemplary solidarity during the struggle against colonialism, and a strong commitment to democracy, freedom, justice and shared prosperity through enterprise. Kenya's 44th ethnic community is made up of the Indian diaspora, and India likewise hosts a significant Kenyan diaspora.
Amid great difficulties, and while confronting formidable challenges, India has made commendable strides in consolidating its development agenda and in actualising its ambitions to become a global technological, industrial and economic leader and an emerging geopolitical leader.
Under the Kenya National Vision as well as the bottom-up economic transformation agenda, Kenya intends to deliver shared prosperity for all Kenyans over the next decade, in a highly industrialised, highmiddle-income country that is safe, secure and in harmony with the natural environment. Given this drive, we must exploit the opportunity presented by India's successful journey to increase our strategic capacity and capacity to succeed by leveraging the Indian precedent in the priority areas of agro-industrial transformation, the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise sector, the provision of universal healthcare, especially in terms of pharmaceutical and medical commodities manufacturing as well as advanced medical technologies including digital health and telemedicine, slum upgrading and affordable housing programmes, and the ICT and digital economy revolution.
The thrust of the business transacted during our official bilateral meetings with the government of India, as well as engagements with the representatives of the Indian private sector therefore consisted of BETA-aligned encounters. This is not to say that we have not engaged on matters related to other sectors, since we deliberated at length about multilateral cooperation, defence and security, education, infrastructure and the financial sectors, which form the underlying enablers required to make the strategic investments in BETA sustainable.
We, therefore, agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and, in pursuit of this goal, affirmed our commitment to work very closely in order to open up new areas of cooperation in various sectors for the mutual benefit of our people.
Recognizing the salience of maritime cooperation in Kenya-India relations and especially in the Indian Ocean, Keny and India have unveiled a “Joint Vision Statement on Maritime Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region- BAHARI, which means “ocean” in Kiswahili, as the blueprint for scaling up our maritime engagement.
The Prime Minister and I noted with satisfaction the existing solid and warm bilateral relations, which include political engagement at the highest level, together with shared views on regional and global issues.
Kenya and India are maritime neighbours with a long history of trade and people-to-people linkages, thereby making Kenya a key partner in maritime security and the blue economy, which form part of both India’s vision of Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR) as well as Kenya’s Vision 2030.
We therefore agreed to continue high-level political dialogue through the Joint Commission mechanism at the level of Foreign Ministers, together with bilateral meetings between Leaders. a. Trade and Investment 16. Acknowledging the vibrant and long-standing economic partnership between both countries, we recognise the immense potential for further scaled-up bilateral economic engagements. Accordingly, we leaders resolved to enhance trade and investment ties and directed the bilateral Joint Trade Committee to convene at the earliest possible time to discuss the expansion of bilateral trade and investment, including the resolution of impediments to market access for trade and investments, as well as the elimination of nontariff barriers.
Further, we were delighted to welcome the opening of the Indian market to avocados produced in Kenya as a positive step and reaffirmed the role of greater market access for products from both countries in diversifying our bilateral trade basket. We have committed to hold discussions with a view to removing tariff barriers.
In pursuit of increased investment into Kenya, I extended an invitation to Indian companies to take advantage of our highly conducive and attractive environment to invest in Kenya, especially, as earlier indicated, in Agriculture and value addition, Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical, Health, ICT, Green Energy and Green Mobility, Affordable Housing, Water sectors, among others.
As already stated, I had the occasion to brief Prime Minister Modi on Kenya’s national development priorities as espoused in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) which includes some of the above sectors.
Given that the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors represent important areas of bilateral trade, the Prime Minister and I discussed the possibility of facilitating increased Indian investments into Kenya in these sectors. This includes investments in the development of healthcare system infrastructure and medical equipment production. This would greatly deepen and broaden access to affordable healthcare for Kenyans from every walk of life, and especially those at the bottom of the socioeconomic structure.
I also discussed matters connected with medical travel to India by Kenyans with the Prime minister, and we agreed that an appropriate framework be discussed between relevant agencies from both sides to enable Kenyan patients to achieve maximum benefits from hospital treatment and outpatient care. Our discussion focused at length on facilitating sustainable access to services by patients who require critical care and access to specialized medical reviews as well as access to medicines upon their return to Kenya.
India has requested Kenya to recognize Indian Pharmacopeia as a supportive step in forging closer healthcare cooperation. The matter shall receive expeditious attention from relevant government agencies. Developmental Partnership 23. We remain thankful to the Government of India for extending concessional Lines of Credit (LOC), which have made available affordable financing for various projects in such sectors as Energy and Textiles and in particular for Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
To support agriculture, which forms a key of the key pillars of our bilateral partnership, India agreed to extend a new LOC amounting to USD 250 Million to the Government of Kenya for Agricultural Mechanization Projects in recognition of the role mechanisation plays in enhancing agro-industrial productivity in line with BETA.
In order to enhance bilateral trade and investment as well as development partnership projects’ financing, the Prime minister and I discussed the need to use local currencies. To this end, we directed the relevant institutions to engage and conclude necessary instruments with a view to ensuring that henceforth, development cooperation/project financing, between Kenya and India will be in Indian Rupees.
We have also agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture. In this respect, Kenya offered, in line with Kenya laws, to provide land to Indian companies and institutions for cultivation of crops, including millets, in Kenya. In turn, the Government of India undertook to encourage Indian companies to investment in the sector, including in equipment and technology on mutually agreed terms. We noted that enhancing agricultural cooperation would increase bilateral trade and contribute to food security in Kenya.
In our meeting, we also exchanged views on the transformative potential of technology for people-centric delivery of services and the ensuing enhanced quality of life which is firmly aligned with the strategic focus of with BETA. We expressed our interest in aspects of India’s experience in Digital Public Infrastructure as pertain to the implementation of BETA. India, for its part, offered to cooperate in skills and technology transfer, in line with Kenya’s particular needs, in sectors such as health, education, ICT and digital governance. Capacity-Building and Education 28. The Prime Minister and I noted with satisfaction that in the last ten years, over 2000 people from Kenya have benefitted from India’s training and capacity-building programmes, including short courses and scholarships for civil servants, students and other professionals to study in premier institutions of India.
The government of India announced the increase in slots of annual Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships for higher education in India across all disciplines from 48 to 80.
His Excellency the Prime Minister and I welcomed the collaboration between Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the newly established Open University of Kenya (OUK) to promote distance learning and technology applications in the field of education in Kenya. Space Cooperation 31. Responding to Kenya’s interest in understanding aspects of India’s experience in space technology for peaceful purposes, India side agreed to collaborate with Kenya on space-based applications, including through specialized capacity-building and in the development of a geospatial information portal for Kenya using India’s advanced remote sensing technology. Defence and Security Cooperation:
His Excellency the Prime Minister and I further noted with appreciation the increasing momentum in defence cooperation and affirmed their intention to further bolster it pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation concluded in 2016. The leaders also directed the bilateral Joint Defence Coordination Committee to convene at an early date. India also welcomed regular Kenyan participation in events and exhibitions such as the India-Africa Defence Dialogue, Aero-India and DEFEXPO.
We also agreed to continue working towards expanding training exchanges, including the deputation of Indian experts, in Kenyan defence institutions and called for stronger cooperation between the defence industries, ship visits and periodic exchange of high-level visits from both sides.
We also concurred on strengthening security cooperation, information and intelligence sharing and joint efforts in areas of counterterrorism, cyber security, and anti-money laundering, small arms and light weapons, drugs and human trafficking.
Prime Minister Modi and I also noted with appreciation the recently concluded MoU between Goa Shipyard Ltd and Kenya Shipyard Ltd that will pave the way for mutually beneficial commercial ventures and also to support Kenyan interest in enhancing its shipbuilding, repair, and maintenance capacities. Maritime Cooperation 36. Acknowledging that both our countries have common interests in the Indian Ocean, we expressed satisfaction with our cooperation with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and agreed to further enhance it to ensure a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Indian Ocean Region. We also agreed to develop a bilateral framework agreement in Blue Economy.
The Prime Minister of India and I also agreed on the importance of enhancing maritime domain awareness through cooperation between Kenya’s maritime Agencies and India’s IFC-IOR for collective security in the Indian Ocean Region.
We also agreed to enhance cooperation in maritime security and to operationalize the sharing of white shipping information. India welcomed the regular participation of Kenya in maritime events and exercises in India, including its forthcoming participation in the next edition of the MILAN Exercise in 2024. Environment, Climate Change & Renewable Energy 39. We acknowledged that developing countries are the most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, and agreed to work together in this area of common interest as a matter of priority.
Therefore, we further agreed that the consensus for action arrived at the COP 28 Summit in UAE should be implemented.
During our discussions, India offered to support training and capacity-building in the areas of clean and renewable energy transmission, grid integration and management, and energy efficiency. Both sides agreed to conclude, at the earliest, a bilateral framework of cooperation in the field of Renewable Energy.
At our bilateral meeting, India welcomed Kenya’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance. The Indian side also looked forward to Kenya’s membership of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
As founding members of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), Kenya and India agreed to work together to save and conserve the critical species of endangered cats. Global Issues and Multilateral Cooperation 44.
Prime Minister Modi and I underscored that there are convergences between the two countries in international fora. The two leaders appreciated the close consultations and cooperation between Kenya and India in international fora on areas of common interest, including peace, security and development. Both sides also agreed to continue collaborating on the pressing need for reformed multilateralism.
During our meeting, we expressed satisfaction with the coordination between the two sides in the UN Security Council in 2021-2022, when both countries served as non-permanent members of the UNSC, as well as the mutual commitment in supporting each other’s candidatures in multilateral institutions. I used the opportunity to express Kenya's appreciation and thanks to India for supporting Kenya’s candidate for a leadership role in the International Maritime Organization.
I also had the opportunity to brief Prime Minister Modi on regional peace and security especially the ongoing initiatives, including in the Horn of Africa (Somalia, The Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia) and the Great Lakes Region where Kenya is involved. India agreed to continue efforts to promote regional peace and security.
We have therefore emphasized the urgent need for reform of the United Nations Security Council, in both permanent and nonpermanent membership categories, to reflect the current realities and to make it credible, representative and effective. We also acknowledged the convergence of positions on the issue of UN Security Council reforms between the L.69 group and the African Union’s Committee of 10, including L.69 group’s support to the Common African Position as enshrined in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration. Therefore, we agreed that close coordination between the L.69 group and Committee of 10, of which Kenya and India are members respectively, would amplify the voice of the Global South on this pressing issue.
Prime Minister Modi and I noted that Kenya and India have been victims of international terrorism, which poses one of the biggest challenges for the world and requires all countries to join hands in overcoming this scourge. We strongly reiterate our categorical condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whenever, wherever, and by whom-so-ever committed and the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism. We are firmly in agreement that terrorism is one of the most serious threats to global peace, security and stability and must seriously be addressed. To this end, we resolved to conclude bilateral cooperation framework to enable security agencies to work together on terrorism matters and transnational organized crime issues.
On the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON), India agreed to support the United Nations Secretary General’s Proposals to increase UNON’s budgetary allocation to modernization and rehabilitation of the facilities to be at par with other United Nations Offices in Europe and America and equally ensure UNON hosts meetings/activities like the other UN Offices.
People-to-People Contacts 50. His Excellency, Hon. Modi and I noted that people-to-people contacts, which date back centuries, provide foundational strength to the historic India-Kenya ties. We noted with appreciation the role of the Indian-origin Kenyan community in the society and economy of Kenya and in further reinforcing the friendship between the two countries.
We appreciate highly the renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for 2023-27 which will facilitate thriving cultural exchanges.
I am deeply grateful to the President and Prime Minister of India for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to us, which has enabled us to make significant progress in enhancing our bilateral ties. I wish the nation and the people of India all the very best as they continue their journey of progress. During our meeting, I extended an invitation to the Prime Minister, on behalf of the people and government of Kenya, to visit Kenya on a date to be agreed at mutual convenience. I look forward to reciprocating the warm hospitality and thoughtful consideration that the people and government of the Republic of India, through its leaders, have extended to me. Thank you.