NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 31 – Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected in Kenya next week, further cementing relations between the two countries which are on a high note.
Wang will also visit Eritrea and Comoros during the January 4-7 trip, according to China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian and the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao said the visit is a “continuation of the tradition of Chinese foreign ministers starting every new year with a visit to Africa, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Eritrea, Kenya and the Comoros from January 4 to 7, 2022 upon invitation. Afterwards, he will visit Maldives and Sri Lanka upon invitation.”
Kenyan officials said Wang and his delegation are scheduled for bilateral meetings with his Kenyan counterpart Raychelle Omamo and will also meet President Uhuru Kenyatta.
No further details were immediately provided on his detailed program in Kenya.
“We are all set for the high profile visit from China by the Foreign Minister,” a senior government official said.
Mr Wang’s visit comes at a time President Uhuru Kenyatta has described relations with China as “mutually beneficial”.
President Uhuru Kenyatta greets Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Dr Zhou Pingjian as other officials look on during an inspection tour of the Nairobi Expressway on December 23, 2021. /PSCU.
The Nairobi Expressway will be opened in March 2021.
“It is a proud moment for us as Kenyans as we are here today witnessing the laying of the last of these girders that are linking this new superhighway, the Nairobi Express Way,” the President said.The Head of State commended the contractor for a job well done and expressed confidence that the road will be ready for use by March next year.
“I want to thank the contractors because we started this project exactly almost to date one year ago when we laid the first box girder and today, almost to the date, three days earlier to one year, we are now laying the last.
“I am confident with the kind of speed that they are moving at, the indicated date of March for completion of this road is bound to be met. I will be very proud to be able to drive all the way from Machakos turn-off to Rironi and hopefully, at that point, launch the road from Rironi to Mau Summit,” the President said.
Constructed under a Public Private Partnership (PPP), the President affirmed Kenya’s commitment to continue working with the Chinese Government which he said continues to be Kenya’s key development partner.
President Kenyatta said the expressway had created over 6,000 direct jobs, benefitted 200 sub-contractors and hundreds of other local suppliers of building materials such as steel, sand, cement and ballast.
“I want to thank everybody, the Ministry, the contractor, the Chinese Government, security agencies who have ensured that people are able to work on a 24-hour basis, NMS and all those who have been involved,” he said.
The Head of State observed that the expressway was among the many ongoing road construction projects in Nairobi totalling to over 420 kilometers.
“The difference that has been occasioned by road building, drainage and sewage being put in, I do believe that within another two years Nairobi will be a truly 21st Century city, catering for its population in a positive manner and in a manner befitting our people,” the President noted.
On his part Infrastructure CS James Macharia thanked the President for championing the project saying its completion will significantly decongest Mombasa Road.
“We thank you for the support, because this project will make a very big difference for our country. After it is finished in March, people will be taking 20 minutes only from the airport to James Gichuru Road,” CS Macharia said.
Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta flipped the switch to light up Global Trade Centre (GTC), the 42 – floor -184-meter skyscraper that has been under construction since October 2014.
“As the Government of Kenya, we applaud the AVIC team for this milestone, and as a flagship project in Kenya’s Vision 2030, I am proud to see it come to fruition,” said President Kenyatta.
