By Ebi Kesiena
President William Ruto on Sunday arrived in Beijing, China for the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
The theme for the forum is ‘High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity’.
The President said Kenya will prioritise working with like-minded countries to confront shared challenges and push for global prosperity.
“We are particularly keen on increasing the depth of our relations with China under the New Silk Road to upgrade our infrastructure,” he said.
In a statement, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed explained that the visit will underscore the robust bilateral relations between Kenya and China.
He said it will also highlight Kenya’s active participation in the third Belt and Road initiative.
“The President will deliver a keynote address headlined digital Economy as a new source of growth at the high level forum, highlighting Kenya’s advancements in information and communication Technology and innovation,” Mohamed said.
While this forum holds great diplomatic significance for China, as it’s the most important event of the year and a notable celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Over 140 countries and 30 international organizations, including leaders, officials, and representatives from various sectors, have confirmed their participation.
The Belt and Road Initiative, initiated by China in 2013, aims to create trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond along the historic Silk Road trade routes.
In the past decade, over 150 countries and 30 international organizations have engaged with the BRI framework, marking a significant milestone in global cooperation.
China, which President William Ruto has not visited since his election in August 2022, is the country’s second-largest creditor, after the World Bank.
During a visit to Kenya in July, Beijing’s head of diplomacy, Wang Yi, praised bilateral cooperation and a “win-win” partnership.
Despite a dynamic economy, around a third of Kenya’s population still live in poverty as economic growth slowed to 4.8% last year, from 7.6% in 2021, also hit by the global fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a devastating regional drought that hit the country’s vital agricultural sector.
Inflation remained high, at an annual rate of 6.8% last month.
However, in July, global ratings’ agency Fitch Ratings downgraded Kenya’s ability to repay international lenders from “stable to negative”, citing tax hikes and social unrest.
