Industry minister says Kenya 1st partner to Egypt in Africa’s east

Egypt’s Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir hailed on Monday the history-honored relations between Egypt and Kenya.

In a speech he read out on behalf of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli during a celebration hosted by the Kenyan embassy in Cairo on the occasion of the 59th anniversary of the east African country’s independence, Samir said that Kenya is the first partner to Egypt in Africa’s east.

The ceremony was attended by Ayub G. Matiiri, Kenyan Ambassador in Cairo, along with diplomats from Arab, African and foreign countries.

He added that trade, economic and investment relations are witnessing a boom in light of bilateral trade regional and continental agreements.

Samir praised the efforts exerted by the Egyptian and Kenyan governments along with the business societies in the two countries which he said contributed to promoting joint cooperation at all levels.

He added that Egypt seeks to benefit from the potentials of the two countries in the fields of trade and investment in light of their membership at COMESA, saying the Egyptian government is committed to boosting economic and investment cooperation with all African states.

The minister expressed hope for increasing joint projects between the private sectors of the two countries after the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) took effect.

For his part, the Kenyan ambassador in Cairo expressed his country’s keenness on boosting relations with Egypt, hailing Cairo’s political support to Nairobi before and after Kenya’s independence.

He said the trade exchange between the two countries is increasing as it reached nearly 550 million dollars last year.