Reported by
Faridah N Kulumba
The Government of China has promised to build Kenya’s new headquarters for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a move to strengthen the two nation’s relations. This was revealed by the Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau during the ceremony in which Chinese government donated two VIP buses for the use of Kenyan Ministry as the Nation reported.
While addressing an audience including Chinese Ambassador to Nairobi Zhou Pringian, Mr Kamau said he was hopeful China’s pledge will be implemented within the next three or four years in a bid to stage a new working station for the country’s diplomats.”We the ministry have special gratitude to the government of the People’s Republic of China for the generous grant towards the construction of a new ministry headquarters,” said Mr Kamau.
China-Kenya relations
The two countries’ bilateral relations date back to 14 December 1963, two days after the formal establishment of Kenyan independence, when China became the fourth country to open an embassy in Nairobi. In 2002 both countries signed cooperation documents related to the Belt and Roads Initiative Bilateral trade amounted to US$186.37 million. From 2000 to 2011, there were approximately 65 Chinese official development finance projects identified in Kenya through various media reports.
The need for the new Headquarters
Currently Kenya’s Foreign Affairs ministry occupies the Old Treasury Building next to Harambee House along Harambee Avenue in Nairobi which is less spacious. Mr Kamau said that this gesture could aid its own diplomacy.
Other gains
Mr Kamau said there has been mutual gains between Kenya and China since they signed the Strategic Comprehensive Cooperation Partnership Agreement in 2016. Among them include the commendable gains made under the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative which aims to connect important cities in countries across the world through trade. Chinese government has also facilitated training staff and granting scholarships to university science students to study in Beijing among others.
