Kenyan leader considers further cooperation with China – World

Kenyan President William Ruto said Kenya and other African countries look forward to intensifying practical cooperation with China at the upcoming 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

In a recent interview with China Daily in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, Ruto expressed optimism that the summit would see deals signed in areas such as industrialization, renewable energy development, agricultural mechanization, talent development and investment in climate action.

The summit will be held from Wednesday to Friday in Beijing.

Ruto said combining African renewable energy resources and Chinese technology would benefit both parties.

According to the International Energy Agency, Africa is home to 60 percent of the world’s top solar energy sources, even though its installed photovoltaic capacity accounts for just 1 percent.

Ruto said Kenya is already in talks with China to build additional infrastructure across the country.

He added that Kenya is looking forward to the expansion of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, which is set to become part of a rail link that will eventually connect the East African country to the Atlantic Ocean.

Other African countries “agree that this is a piece of infrastructure that we all want to see happen, and we are in discussions with the Chinese government about the possibilities and mechanisms to ensure that the SGR connects the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic,” he added.

Ruto said Kenya was preparing to fully benefit from the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation as well as the Belt and Road Initiative, adding that the success of intra-Africa trade would depend on the availability of transport infrastructure, including roads and the expansion of standard gauge railways.

Kenya is also strengthening its leadership position on issues such as climate action and renewable energy. The country is exploring how it can use Chinese technology to unlock its renewable energy resources, Ruto said.

Furthermore, Kenya is positioning itself as a regional and continental technology hub.

“With China leading the way in technological development, especially in renewable energy, we will be preparing to see how we can seize the opportunities presented by FOCAC and BRI to unleash our potential as a country and leverage the potential that exists on our continent,” he said.

He also added that Kenya is considering the possibility of cooperation with Chinese companies in areas such as e-mobility, robotics, internet of things and other new technologies.

The Kenyan President said the country also wants to cooperate with China in the modernization of agriculture, noting that the country’s intention is to ensure that agriculture not only ensures food security for the population, but also allows the use of agricultural products to expand the country’s production potential.

Referring to China’s proposal to support Africa in developing talent, he said Kenya is expanding its digital presence across the country by laying another 100,000 kilometres of optical fibre.

He added that this step will unleash talent, especially among young people, and also create job opportunities in the digital and digital commerce sectors.

Ruto said he envisages expanded cooperation between Kenya and China, new partnership opportunities and further opportunities for private sector investment in both countries.

“I think we will export more avocados, tea and coffee to China… and it will all be in the context of people-to-people relationships,” he said.

Meanwhile, as the People’s Republic of China prepares to celebrate the 75th anniversary of its founding, Ruto praised the country’s achievements over the past decades.

He said China has made enormous progress in changing its destiny and achieved unprecedented economic growth and social development.

“We all know that China has outpaced other countries by many places. They have managed to grow their economy, sometimes by double digits, and they have managed to lift 800 million people out of poverty, which is a very commendable achievement,” he said.

“Today, China is the world’s second-largest economy and a huge contributor to the peacekeeping budget and human capital for peacekeeping.”