President William Ruto on Sunday night departed for the Republic of Korea this evening to attend the Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul.
In a statement, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed said the summit will see Africa and South Korea discuss areas of mutual interest, including trade promotion, industrialization, infrastructure development, and job creation.
“The discussions will also cover agricultural productivity, climate change response, and transitioning to carbon-free energy.
“These topics align with President Ruto’s roles as the African Union Champion for Institutional Reform and the Chair of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change,” read the statement in part.
During his visit, President Ruto will also hold bilateral talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol to review the progress of the Kshs 132 billion Framework Arrangement partnership agreed upon during his last visit in November 2022.
This partnership focuses on key projects including water and irrigation, agriculture, infrastructure, and the creative economy.
Agreements worth Kshs 40 billion will be concluded to create opportunities in Kenya’s creative economy sector, and Kshs 25 billion for water and irrigation projects.
“Several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) will also be signed to deepen partnerships and collaboration in health, agriculture, and ICT, among other sectors,” Hussein stated.
Further, Kenya will engage South Korea in exploring technology opportunities, including developing its semiconductor industry.
Additionally, Kenya will join the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) to advance its vaccine manufacturing goals.
“Kenya and South Korea are expected to finalize a Labor Migration Program, potentially making Kenya one of the few African countries approved for labor supply under the South Korea Employment Permit System (EPS) Program,” the State House Spokesperson added.
The trip will also set the stage for Kenya and South Korea to initiate negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the two countries.
Ruto’s visit to Korea comes barely a week after he returned to Kenya from a four-day State Visit to the US.
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