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Kenya to host another high profile global meeting

At another event at State House, President Kenyatta witnessed the signing of three agreements that will see China extend Sh15.241 billion support to Kenya/PSCU

At another event at State House, President Kenyatta witnessed the signing of three agreements that will see China extend Sh15.241 billion support to Kenya/PSCU

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 16 – Kenya will host the second high-level meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.

The President made the announcement Wednesday at State House, Nairobi, when he met members of the steering committee who briefed him on the preparation of the meeting slated for November 23-24, 2016.

This will be the first time the meeting is held in Africa.

Kenya will also next year host the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), another high profile development forum that will attract investment and boost tourism.

The Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation is a political forum that brings together governments, bilateral and multilateral organisations, civil society and representatives of parliaments, the private sector, financial institutions and trade unions, among other organisations, to discuss development.

It offers a common approach to development cooperation based on ownership by nations, focus on results, inclusive growth, transparency and accountability.

President Kenyatta expressed optimism that the meeting that next year will consolidate global efforts in poverty alleviation.

He called on all those involved to provide the necessary support to ensure the meeting is successful.

“It is important to cultivate this global approach to addressing challenges including climate change, terrorism and poverty alleviation,” President Kenyatta said.

Dutch Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister Lilliane Ploumen – who is the co-chair of the Nairobi meeting – assured President Kenyatta of her team’s support in ensuring the meeting is successful.

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At another event at State House, President Kenyatta witnessed the signing of three agreements that will see China extend Sh15.241 billion support to Kenya.

The agreements – signed by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and Chinese Minister for Commerce Gao Hucheng – were on a Sh10.358 billion Concession Loan for the implementation of the National Optic Fibre Backbone Infrastructure Extension Project (NOFBI) Phase Two, Sh4.781 billion grant for the construction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters and a Certificate of Acceptance for a $1 million (Sh102 million) grant to support Kenya in hosting the World Trade Organisation meeting which is ongoing.

President Kenyatta expressed the need for a Kenya-China joint ministerial mechanism to monitor projects implemented through their cooperation that are in line with President Xi Jinping’s $60 billion 10-point development plan for Africa announced at the Johannesburg Africa-China Summit.

“This will help ensure better implementation of the projects and give meaning to the Kenya-China partnership,” President Kenyatta said.

He said Kenya was keen on using the grants and interest-free loans provided by China in the modernisation of health equipment and hospitals across the country as well as construction of stadia for the benefit of the young people.

On his part, Gao said in addition to supporting Kenya in energy, infrastructure, agriculture, education and health, china was also keen on promoting Kenya’s efforts in wildlife protection.

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