President Jacob Zuma of South Africa on Wednesday wrapped up his State visit to Kenya in which six agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed.
Zuma also called on South Africa’s business community to increase their investments in Kenya as it was a growing economy.
Zuma was in Kenya on a three-day State visit. Addressing a Kenya-South Africa business forum on Tuesday evening, Zuma had said there were currently 60 companies from his country operating in Kenya.
According to a release from the Kenyan Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU), the MOUs were signed after Zuma and host President Uhuru Kenyatta led their delegations in bilateral talks at State House in Nairobi.
The statement said that Zuma pronounced the visit successful, and saw the two leaders agreeing to progressively remove all trade barriers to enable the two countries to benefit from their untapped trade potential.
Zuma said trade between the two countries stood at around Sh60 billion, noting that this did not reflect the true potential that existed between the two countries.
He said there was a need to create new sources of economic growth with emphasis on agribusiness, energy equipment, infrastructure and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Zuma said Africa’s future looked bright as seen through the tripartite free trade area of EAC, SADC and COMESA which has 600 million people with a GDP of one trillion US Dollar.
“The two countries have good foundations for economic growth through good national economic development plans of Kenya’s vision 2030 and South Africa’s national development plan of 2030,” said Zuma.
He also called on Kenya’s business community to exploit business opportunities in South Africa.
Other speakers included South Africa’s Minister of Public Enterprise, Lynne Brown, Chairperson of the Kenya Association of Manufactures, Florah Mutahi, and Chief Executive of Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Carol Kariuki, among others, the statement said.
The two governments signed MOUs on Cooperation between the Kenya Investment Authority, and Investment South Africa; on Police Cooperation and Agreement and on Visa Exemption for Passport Holders of Diplomatic and Ordinary/Service Passports.
Other MOUs were on Cooperation in the Field of Biodiversity, Conservation and Management and Agreement on Defence Cooperation.
Another agreement was signed for South African investment in the development of the Lamu Port Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport corridor (LAPPSET), a pivotal infrastructure project for Kenya, the region, and the continent.
Before his departure, the South Africa leader toured Karen Roses farm situated in Karen, Nairobi.
Zuma, who was with Kenyatta, was conducted on a tour of the farm and briefed on the activities of the company which was started in 1989. The company supplies quality cut flowers mainly to Europe, the Middle and Far East.
Zuma was seen off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Kenyatta and other State authorities.
