Kenya, Iran ink 5 deals to promote pragmatic cooperation

Kenyan President William Ruto (R) shakes hands with visiting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during their meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 12, 2023. Kenya and Iran on Wednesday signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements to help shore up bilateral relations. (Photo by Fred Mutune/Xinhua)

NAIROBI, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and Iran on Wednesday signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements to help shore up bilateral relations.

The MoUs were signed in the areas of animal health and livestock production, information and communications technology, fishery, culture and heritage and investment promotion, in the presence of visiting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

"These memoranda will enhance and further deepen our bilateral relations for sustainable growth and development between our two countries," Ruto said at a joint news conference after holding talks with Raisi.

He said the two countries will tap the potential of trade cooperation, noting that they will strike a formula that will facilitate more exports of tea, coffee and meat.

"This will bring about the much-desired trade balance that is in favor of Iran," he said, adding that Nairobi will also use Tehran's wealth in technology and innovation to spur its development.

Ruto noted that Kenya exported tea worth 28.31 million U.S. dollars to Iran in the first quarter of 2023, which is an eight-fold increase from sales for the same period last year.

The Kenyan president pointed out that the establishment of the Iran House of Innovation and Technology in Nairobi will offer a platform for Iranian and Kenyan businesses.

"This is an innovative way of enabling enterprises to access Iranian technologies, skills, and information," he said.

He disclosed that Kenya and Iran have signed more than 22 MoUs and agreements which have been key to the cooperation in development, education, scholarships, infrastructure, health, water, fishery and agriculture, stressing the government's commitment to fostering and protecting all investments in the country, both domestic and foreign.

Raisi lauded Kenya's commitment to creating a friendly environment for foreign businesses, noting that the two countries have great capacities to expand their bilateral cooperation.

He said more Iranian firms will establish operations in the country, paving their way to accessing the East African Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the markets within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

"The Kenya-Iran relations can always be strengthened for our benefit," said Raisi who was due to visit Uganda and Zimbabwe as part of his African tour, the first by an Iranian president to Africa in 11 years.

He also said that Iran has experience in the fields of petrochemicals, agriculture and science and technology, adding that the two sides can have sound cooperation in the field of fishery.