President Ramaphosa
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is on Wednesday November 8 expected to visit Kenya.
During his visit, President Ramaphosa is expected to meet with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, to discuss a variety of issues, including the easing of visa requirements for Kenyans traveling to South Africa.
The Visa talks began during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure.
Visa restrictions, which include a Sh5,350 processing fee, have been a source of contention between the two countries for years.
The South African government processes visas for at least five days.
Kenyans applying for a visa must also provide proof of sufficient funds and return flight air tickets.
South African nationals, on the other hand, have an easier time obtaining a free Kenyan visa upon arrival in the country.
Ramaphosa is also expected to sign a number of memorandums of understanding between Kenya and South Africa focusing on trade and investment.
According to Foreign Affairs PS Kamau Macharia, Kenya and South Africa have developed private sectors that can be utilized as commercial footprints.
South Africa’s Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya last week stated that Kenya is the biggest economy in East Africa and the largest trade partner for South Africa outside the SADC region.
“According to the World Bank, Kenya is east Africa’s largest economy and gateway to the region with a GDP that stands at over 110 billion US dollars as of 2021. Kenya is South Africa’s largest trading partner outside of the SADC region, making South Africa the biggest seller of goods to Kenya on the continent.” he said.
South Africa and Kenya have numerous bilateral agreements in place, six of which were signed during Ramaphosa’s State Visit to Kenya in 2016.
Also Read: Meet President William Ruto’s Powerful Economic Advisory Council
