NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 3 – President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday held one-on-one talks with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame who was in the country on a working visit.
During the meeting at State House, Nairobi, President Kenyatta and President Kagame discussed a wide range of areas of cooperation between the two countries including trade and transport.
The two leaders also discussed emerging issues concerning the region and the continent.
On trade, President Kenyatta said Rwanda’s strategic position in the region makes it an important trading partner to Kenya especially as a gateway to the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider Great Lakes Region market.
He applauded Rwanda’s decision to reopen its Gatuna border crossing with Uganda, saying it will facilitate the flow of products and people between the two countries.
President Kenyatta urged Rwanda to diversify its imports from Kenya and continue to take use of the upgraded services at the Port of Mombasa to ease the movement of products in order to boost bilateral trade.
The Kenyan president informed his Rwandan counterpart that Kenya is committed to ensuring that the two countries work together to promote the East African Community’s goals for the benefit of the region’s people.
The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to working together to find long-term solutions to the crises in Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia, saying Kenya and Rwanda will continue to play a key role in fostering dialogue and peace between warring parties.