Kenyatta to visit Nigeria May 4, to sign bilateral agreements

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will pay a state visit to Nigeria from May 4 to May 6 to finalise bilateral agreements earlier made between both countries. Kenya’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Tom Amolo, said this in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday. Uhuru Kenyatta. Amolo said that the visit was in return to President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit in September 2013. “In July 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta came to Abuja for `the Abuja Plus 12’. During that session they signed agreements including a Joint Commission of Cooperation Agreement. “When President Jonathan came to Kenya, he invited President Uhuru Kenyetta to come to Nigeria for a state visit. “They picked on the dates 4th to 6th of May in order to enable President Kenyatta to mesh with the World Economic Forum, Abuja. “It is important for us because this visit occurs just after Nigeria has been recognised as the largest economy in Africa. “It is also important for us because we will be able to finalise some of the agreements that we had agreed to, such as the avoidance of double taxation and investment protection, immigration, trade agreement, agriculture. “We want to embed business into the way we live and work. “A trade and investment council will be launched; equally an agriculture and investment relation package will be launched as well as the joint commission of cooperation will also be launched.” The envoy said Kenyatta would be accompanied by eight ministers and 120 businessmen who would also be participating in the World Economic Forum. On the security challenges in Nigeria, he said that investors were not deterred by the “temporary situation.” “ Now, I have 120 Kenyan businessmen coming to Nigeria to look at opportunities; people who are interested in oil and gas, housing, manufacturing, in agribusiness, looking at the opportunity of animal husbandry. “There has been no expression of disquiet. In spite of the noises we hear about terrorism, President Kenyatta has never thought twice about coming to visit. “We know that those who seek to terrorise us want us to be scared enough so that we don’t live our lives normally. “We embrace Nigeria completely and we are very confident that this temporary challenge will be defeated. “We too know that the challenge of terrorism is something that we have to address very seriously; security is in the hands of all Kenyans as it is in the hands of all Nigerians. The high commissioner said that an agreement for both countries to cooperate in the film industry would also be signed during the visit. He said that Jonathan’s last visit in 2013 had encouraged trade relations between both countries, adding that investments from both countries were positive. Amolo said: “From the visit in September 2013, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has decided to invest in Kenya in a cement plant which is up to the tune of U.S. $600 million. “We can also confirm that several Kenyan businesses and companies such as Bidco Oil have invested in Nigeria. “We can also confirm in the areas of medical technologies, a Kenyan-Nigerian-Indian firm has put together one of the best laboratories on the continent in Lagos. “We have had an interaction with our ministry of agriculture and the technicians are learning how Nigerians have been able to change cassava into a product that is of great benefit to them.” The envoy said that major agreements that had been implemented between both countries were on the visa policy and cooperation in the area of tourism. He said holders of diplomatic passports of both countries were allowed entry while business people were given a five-year special visa to promote trade between both countries. “We have already got seven Nigerians who have the five-year special visa at no cost. “The idea is that down the line, Kenya will also submit a list of business people who will be moving between Kenya and Nigeria. He said that in tourism, both governments were working out modalities to have Nigerians study in the Kenyan tourism school. Amolo added that the Kenyan government will also develop plans on how to learn from Nigeria’s various festivals as the festivals were means of promoting Africa’s cultural diversity. The high commissioner explained that in terms of infrastructure, both countries benefited from direct flights. He also said that alternative means of transportation would be discussed during state visit. “ We have found that there is only up to 13 per cent of intra-African trade whereas we should be looking at 50 per cent at the minimum. “We trade more with the outside world, specifically Europe, than we do with ourselves within the continent. “So it is very important for us to elevate the place of infrastructure and not only air transport, road and railway too,” he said. The envoy also said that Kenyatta would also be attending the Africa Investor Magazine Awards event on May 6