Princess Lalla Asmaa of Morocco in Kenya for Cochlear Implant Medical Mission:
Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa of the Kingdom of Morocco has arrived in Kenya for a three-day working visit.
During her visit, Her Royal Highness and the First Lady will jointly preside over a Cochlear Implant Medical Exercise targeting approximately 70 children with hearing impairments.
As part of her foundation’s contribution, Princess Lalla Asmaa has donated 58 cochlear implants and seven surgical kits to support this important medical mission.
She was received at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Her Excellency the First Lady, @MamaRachelRuto , accompanied by the CS Ministry of Gender and Children Services, Hon. Anna Cheptumo.
It was a distinct honour to be hosted in Rabat by the Moroccan Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mr. Abdessamad Kayouh, a testament to the strength of our growing bilateral ties.
We discussed areas of mutual cooperation between Kenya and Morocco particularly in maritime safety, mobility and connectivity.
Our conversation also covered the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the upcoming council elections. Kenya recognises Morocco's exemplary efforts in the IMO Council under category C and reaffirms it's continued support for Morocco's bid to remain on the council.
In turn, Morocco has assured Kenya of reciprocal support for its reelection bid to category C.
I was accompanied by H.E. @jgakinya, Kenya's Ambassador to Morocco and the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President, Mr. @mustafaramadhn. @KenyainMorocco@kenya_chamber
Steve Abdukareem Munyakho, the Kenyan national who has been on death row in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is free as at 10 am today pursuant to the full satisfaction of judicial decree. Our Mission in Riyadh has confirmed that Steve performed his Umra (minor pilgrimage) upon release. We shall provide further details regarding his arrival in the country. I commend all who have offered their support towards securing this outcome. @ForeignOfficeKE@MusaliaMudavadi
The Government has commenced the phased occupation of the units under the Mukuru Affordable Housing Project, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to upgrade informal settlements across the country.
The current occupancy figures are as follows: Block A, 181 households, Block AB, 202 households, Block AC, 72 households, Block AD, 93 households and Block AE, 73 households.
The development also includes 50 commercial units. A draw will be conducted to allocate the shops to pre-registered applicants from the community, in line with the project.
The Government of Kenya remains stable, focused, and unwavering in its mission to deliver on its promises to the people, undeterred by political noise or distractions.
While engaging with Kenyans residing in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, and Kenitra in the Kingdom of Morocco, I assured them that despite heightened political rhetoric back home, the government continues to stay the course in fulfilling its development agenda.
I highlighted key milestones such as the Affordable Housing Programme, which is now taking shape across the country, and the rollout of Universal Health Coverage, marked by the registration of over 21 million citizens to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), a significant leap from the 9 million previously covered under NHIF.
I encouraged our diaspora community to remain exemplary ambassadors of Kenya through diligence, integrity, and respect for the laws of their host country, as they pursue their studies, careers, and entrepreneurial ventures.
Met with senior officials of the Kenyan Embassy in the Kingdom of Morocco, led by Ambassador Jessica Gakinya, for a comprehensive briefing on the state of bilateral relations.
Our discussions focused on narrowing the existing trade imbalance by enhancing exports of Kenyan tea and coffee to Morocco. While our imports, mainly fertilizers and other key commodities stand at KSh 12 billion, our exports remain significantly lower at just KSh 500 million. We explored practical strategies to boost the volume and diversity of Kenyan exports to foster a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship.
We also exchanged views on expanding cooperation in other strategic sectors, ahead of the anticipated signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on Monday.
Held productive bilateral talks with H.E. Nasser Bourita, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, where I championed greater Moroccan imports of Kenyan tea, coffee, and fresh produce to help balance our trade.
I also advocated for an increase in scholarships for Kenyan students in Morocco, currently capped at 20, and proposed the recruitment of Kenyan teachers to support the growing demand for English language instruction in the Kingdom.
During the visit, Kenya and Morocco signed five key MoUs covering Housing and Development, Trade, Youth Affairs, Foreign Service training, and institutional collaboration between the Kenya School of Government and Morocco’s National Higher School of Administration.
We now look forward to translating these agreements into action for the shared prosperity of both nations.
As part of strengthening Kenya’s global diplomatic footprint, I today inaugurated the Kenyan Embassy in Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco.
With Ambassador Jessica Gakinya now at the helm, the new mission will deepen bilateral engagement, champion Kenya’s strategic interests in North Africa, and enhance cooperation in key areas of mutual benefit.
This milestone marks a renewed commitment to fostering stronger ties with Morocco, building on a history of warm relations, while also working to rebalance trade in a way that supports equitable economic exchange.
Africa, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, continues to be significantly underrepresented in the global security architecture. It is for this reason that we remain steadfast in advocating for urgent and meaningful reforms at the United Nations Security Council.
While delivering a keynote address during Africa Day celebrations hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat, I underscored the importance of the upcoming C10 Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, a critical platform to reaffirm Africa’s unified position on UNSC reforms, as articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.
As we look ahead to Lusaka, I emphasized the continent’s unwavering resolve: Africa must secure a permanent seat at the table where matters of peace, conflict resolution, and global governance are decided.
1/ Yesterday, Friday the 13th of December 2024, Kenya Embassy Rabat commemorated its first Jamhuri Day celebration in the Kingdom of Morocco following its establishment earlier in the year.
H.E. Amb. Gakinya delivered remarks on 25-Oct 24 during the graduation ceremony of the Specialised Training on Counter-Terrorism Investigations (STOCTI) cycle 2024 at ICESCO HQs – Rabat. 22 participants from 7 African countries, including Kenya, graduated from the training.