Kenyan Juma affirms keenness to develop ties with Egypt

CAIRO – 4 March 2019: Kenya's Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma affirmed the presence of broad prospects for developing bilateral relations with Egypt and enhancing joint cooperation between the two countries at various levels officially and popularly.

This came as Juma met on Sunday with Egypt's President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in Cairo, heading a delegation that includes both Kenya's attorney general and the director general of the Kenyan National Intelligence, said Bassam Radi, Egypt's presidential spokesman.

It is worth noting that Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri also attended the meeting.

Juma lauded the success of the recent African Summit in Addis Ababa under the leadership of President Sisi, stressing that this success represents an extension of the original and deeply rooted role of the African Union, Radi said.

The meeting witnessed the exchange of views on a number of regional issues of mutual concern, including the latest developments in the Horn of Africa, as well as joint efforts exerted by the two countries to combat terrorism and extremism in the African continent, according to Radi.

For his part, President Sisi affirmed, during the meeting, that Egypt attaches importance to strengthening bilateral relations with Kenya in various fields, especially trade and investment, the presidential spokesman said.

The president also highlighted Egypt's keenness to maximize coordination and consultation with the Kenyan side and President Uhuru Kenyatta during the Egyptian presidency term of the African Union.

In March 2018, Shoukri paid a visit to Nairobi, where he met with his Kenyan counterpart and discussed with her ways to boost bilateral relations and enhance counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries.

Both sides also discussed developments of the GERD negotiations and relations among the Nile Basin countries.