Seychelles and Kenya plan new partnerships in trade and investment

Seychelles President James Michel met with the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Amina Mohamed, this morning at State House. Mrs. Mohamed is on an official visit to Seychelles, where she also met with other members of the government, and also signed a General Cooperation agreement with the government of Seychelles, providing the necessary framework for a joint commission.

During their meeting, the President and the Cabinet Secretary discussed the visit of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to Seychelles later this year.

“We have a great deal of issues to discuss, including the ways to develop a partnership for economic development, regional security, cultural exchanges, as well as improve the air connectivity and trade between our two countries. We have many shared interests in the Indian Ocean as neighboring countries, with a common vision for the blue economy, an African brand of tourism and close cooperation in defense and maritime security. I welcome the interest also from the Kenyan business community to increase trade and investment, with more business delegations planning visits to Seychelles,” said President Michel.

They also discussed areas in which Seychelles and Kenya can enhance their bilateral relations, such as in tourism, maritime safety, and the possibility of future trade and investment between the two countries, among others.

Speaking to the press after her meeting with President Michel, Mrs. Mohamed said that her visit to Seychelles was very fruitful, and she noted that she was also accompanied by the National Chairman of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Kiprono Kittony, who has met with the Chairman of Commerce and Industry for Seychelles as well as various businessmen.

“We’ve brought along our Chairman from this Chamber. He has held very good talks with the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Seychelles; he has also met with businessmen, and they have agreed on a number of steps that they will checking – an invitation for Kenyan businessmen and investors to visit Seychelles as well as two Seychellois investors and businessmen to visit Kenya. So it’s been a very fruitful and productive visit… I think you will be seeing a lot more Kenyans coming to Seychelles and more Seychellois coming to Kenya,” said the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs.