National Assembly Speaker of Kenya Moses Wetang’ula on Wednesday requested Egypt to rally behind the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a transformative initiative aimed at establishing an integrated and open African market.
Highlighting Egypt’s pivotal role as a significant economic force within the continent, Speaker Wetang’ula underscored the valuable contribution of Egypt’s engagement to realise AfCFTA’s objectives.
“With Egypt, an esteemed member of the ‘Big Four Brothers’ within the continent, standing as a signatory to the AfCFTA, the aspirations of member nations rest upon its robust participation,” said Wetang’ula.
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Wetang’ula made the remarks in his office when he hosted the Egyptian Ambassador to Kenya, Wael Nasreldin Attiya, who had paid him a courtesy call.
“The AfCFTA stands as a paragon of economic progress for Africa. The success of this initiative promises to usher in an era of unparalleled economic advancement across the African continent, ” he added.
Speaker Wetang’ula championed the potential of the AfCFTA to facilitate seamless access for investors to an array of opportunities.
“The vast potential of free trade in Africa not only paves the way for investment, but it also acts as a catalyst for the escalation of intra-Africa trade, while nurturing the development of regional and local value chains hitherto unexplored,” he reiterated.
He noted that Egypt has excelled in the irrigation of desert areas, noting that the same can be applied in Kenya through the Egypt-modelled techniques that will help increase food production and reclaim arid and semi-arid regions in the country.
“Numerous communities residing within Kenya’s arid landscapes grapple with deprivation and livestock loss stemming from food scarcity. Drawing inspiration from Egypt’s exemplar irrigation programs, these areas could be rejuvenated into productive havens,” emphasised Speaker Wetang’ula.
While addressing the critical issue of climate change mitigation, the Speaker advocated for the propagation of Egypt’s successful afforestation initiatives and borehole installations within drought-prone regions.
He told Egypt’s envoy to revive the initiatives, amplifying the collective efforts of the Kenyan government to combat the dire repercussions of climate change.
In a move of parliamentary diplomacy, Speaker Wetang’ula and Ambassador Attiya deliberated on ways of fostering a collaborative Parliamentary Friendship Group uniting the legislative Houses of Kenya and Egypt; an alliance, he said would serve as a fertile ground for the exchange of strategic insights, enriching the parliamentary landscape of both nations.
On his part, Ambassador Attiya lauded the profound bilateral rapport shared between Kenya and Egypt, urging the Kenyan Parliament to fortify these harmonious ties.
To fortify these diplomatic bonds, the Ambassador unveiled the forthcoming 7th Kenya-Egypt Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) event, scheduled to take place in Kenya.
Speaker Wetang’ula acknowledged that the conference will offer a great platform to consolidate burgeoning trade avenues between the two nations, propelling economic prosperity and catalysing the growth trajectory for both Kenya and Egypt.
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