Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Foreign Minister meets with resident GRULAC Ambassadors in Nairobi

Kenya is determined to turn a new page in its relations with the Latin America and the Caribbean region. This was the message Foreign Affairs minister, Hon. Moses Wetangula to envoys from the Group of Latin America and Caribbean region (GRULAC), when he hosted them to a luncheon at Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi yesterday. Present at the function were the ambassadors of Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. Senior officials from the Ministry accompanied the Minister to the event.

Hon.Wetangula said that Kenya will open more embassies in the region to facilitate closer ties. At present, the only Kenyan mission in the region is in Brasilia.

The minister said that Kenya and the GRULAC shared similar experiences as developing countries. He said Kenya had a lot to learn from countries in the region which had gone through similar political and economic problems that Kenya is facing.

He thanked their governments for strongly supporting Kenya’s bid during the 63rd Session of the General Assembly, to have the United Nations in Office in Nairobi elevated to the level of other United Nations offices in New York, Geneva and Vienna which are headed by a Director General.

Hon.Wetangula also briefed the envoys on the progress of reforms in country, the highlights of the recent African Union Summit and the latest developments on the security situation in Somalia and Sudan.

Outlining the progress made in drafting the new constitution, the minister expressed optimism that Kenya will be able get a new charter by the end of the year.

On the Somalia, he said that strengthening Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was the only way to restore stability in the Somalia. He told the diplomats that Kenya will continue to support the TFG and called on the United Nations Security Council to move with speed to deploy its peace keeping forces to take over from African Union forces.

Speaking at the function, the President on the GRULAC in Nairobi, the Ambassador of Chile, H.E. Pablo Rodrigo Gaete, said that as a strategic partner in Africa, the region will continue to work with Kenya to promote bilateral relations and forge common positions on multilateral issues such as climate change.

Welcoming Kenya’s intention to open diplomatic missions in the Latin America and Caribbean, he said the move will help to reactivate the joint commission for cooperation agreements and facilitate follow up on the agreed proposals.

The ambassador cited rural electrification, the fight against malaria, agriculture, poverty eradication programmes as some of the areas that could constitute important areas of cooperation.

On regional security, H.E. Pablo Rodrigo thanked the Kenyan government for the important role it continues to play to achieving political stability in the Horn of Africa.

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