Highlights of Slovenian President's State Visit to Kenya
Slovenian President Her Excellency Nataša Pirc Musar, along with President William Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, on 1st June, 2025 attended Kenya's 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations in Homa Bay County during her historic State Visit.
President Musar while reflecting on the importance of Madaraka Day spoke to the shared values between Kenya and Slovenia. She praised the friendship and shared values, emphasizing multilateralism, environmental protection, and sustainable development. Dr. Musar highlighted Kenya's priorities of sustainable economic growth, biodiversity protection, scientific development, and tackling common problems.
President Ruto underscored the importance of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) in Kenya's development, observing that during the past two years the country continued to witness the impact of hard work, innovation, and resilience towards the nation’s transformation.
This year's Madaraka Day theme, ‘Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs,’ is consistent with Kenya's emphasis on maximising the potential of its aquatic resources, a critical component of the country’s Oceans and Blue diplomacy foreign policy strategy.
While in Homa Bay, President Musar toured the Wire Forest Station where she was received by Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr. Alex Lemarkoko alongside Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga.
At the station, the Slovenian President engaged with members of the Wire Forest Management Association (WIFOMA) CFA, commending their innovative and sustainable income-generating activities. WIFOMA has a community beekeeping initiative producing over 18 metric tonnes of honey annually. This initiative empowers women economically and contributes to forest conservation through climate-smart apiculture. President Musar highlighted to the WIFOMA community the critical role played by similar Slovenian grassroot initiatives towards advancing sustainability and rural livelihoods. In partnership with the World Food Programme, Slovenia is supporting a beekeeping and climate resilience project in Mandera County, with plans to expand to other arid and semi-arid regions of the country.
On her last day in Kenya, President Musar has had a busy schedule which included a visit to the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), where she engaged with UN officials and Slovenians working within the UN system. She also planted a commemorative tree at the UN Complex.
The Slovenian President also took part in a high-level climate resilience forum at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology where she emphasized the importance of shared responsibility while acknowledging the unequal burden that climate change places on different regions of the world. While at JKUAT, President Musar inaugurated a Climate Hub at the university. The Hub comprises The Conduit, a smart art installation and satellite data hub developed through a partnership between JKUAT’s JHUB Africa and the Slovenian Centre of Excellence for Space Sciences and Technologies (SPACE-SI). The project showcases how cutting-edge science, community-driven initiatives, and cross-sectoral collaboration can bring about tangible and meaningful change. The joint Slovenia and Kenya forum echoed Slovenia’s deepening engagement with Kenya, underpinned by a mutual commitment to climate action through science-based and locally anchored approaches.
The Slovenian President reaffirmed Slovenia’s commitment to addressing climate change through support for locally led solutions that empower communities, especially women and youth. President Musar further reiterated the European Union’s strong investment in Africa, as a critical step in improving quality of life and boosting climate resilience.
Present during the climate resilience forum included, the European Union Ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger, representatives from the World Food Programme, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, the Principal Secretary for Higher Education, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, Innovation and Climate Change stakeholders, students and faculty of the university.
President Musar concluded her three-day State Visit with a visit to Kewat Industries Ltd, a manufacturing company located in the Baba Dogo area of Nairobi and established through a partnership between the Slovenian Roto Group, Kenyan investors, and the European firm E-Wave GmbH.
Kewat Industries specializes in the production of large-volume polyethylene (PE) products using rotational moulding technology. Its initial output includes PE boats designed for the fishing industry at Lake Victoria, with future plans to manufacture products for wastewater treatment and water storage solutions.
President Nataša Pirc Musar was Monday evening seen off by her Escort of Honour, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, alongside Amb. Josphat Maikara, Chief of Protocol, and Amb. Maurice Makoloo, Kenya’s Ambassador to Vienna, accredited to Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary, and Ukraine.