President Ruto Flies To Burundi As Raila Conspicuously Absent
President William Ruto flew out of the country Thursday morning to attend the 23rd Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Government Summit in Bujumbura, Burundi.
According to State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed, the President will engage in high-level discussions aimed at strengthening Kenya’s multilateral relations with other strategic partners in a variety of areas of mutual interest.
“During his visit, the President will engage in high-level discussions aimed at bolstering Kenya’s relationships with key strategic partners, with a particular focus on strengthening regional value chains to deepen COMESA integration,” a statement shared by the State House Spokesperson read in part.
The COMESA Summit will address key trade issues in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Press Release:
— Hussein Mohamed, MBS. (@HusseinMohamedg) October 31, 2024
President @WilliamsRuto on a one-day official visit to Bujumbura, Burundi, for the COMESA summit. pic.twitter.com/SL3HZYQhWY
The extension of sugar safeguard measures to improve the regional product market will be a key topic of discussion.
Ruto plans to rally more support for Kenya’s bid to host the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) Secretariat, which brings together three regional economic communities: COMESA, the East African Community, and the Southern African Development Community.
Ruto intends to use his foreign trip to Bujumbura to meet and discuss issues with several African presidents.
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of Egypt, and Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema are among those scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the summit.
The President will also meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, where he plans to discuss ways to strengthen Kenya-Egypt cooperation in trade.
He will hold bilateral talks with Zambia’s President to discuss ways to improve trade between Kenya and Zambia.
The discussions with Hakainde will also focus on the establishment of a Joint Trade Committee to address and resolve non-tariff barriers between Kenya and Zambia.
President @WilliamsRuto has arrived in Burundi for the 23rd COMESA Summit.
— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) October 31, 2024
More than 400 representatives from the private sector, small-scale traders, policy makers and civil society are taking part in the annual summit.
The Bujumbura meeting is paying attention to the… pic.twitter.com/ct8mJagyEY
“The discussions with Egypt will focus on enhancing the Kenya-Egypt partnership, with a joint commitment to increase trade between the two nations,” Hussein added.
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“His bilateral meeting with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema will explore avenues to facilitate trade, including the formation of a Joint Trade Committee to address and resolve non-tariff barriers.”
As a result, he is expected to use the opportunity to solicit support from other Heads of State in order to mobilize votes for Kenya’s candidacy for the position of chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
However, it was unclear whether Kenya’s preferred candidate, Raila Odinga, would accompany the President to Bujumbura, as has been customary in previous foreign trips.
President Ruto Flies To Burundi As Raila Conspicuously Absent
