Romanian President arrives in Kenya on first leg of Africa tour
Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis is in Kenya for a three-day state visit. His arrival Monday evening is part of his tour of four African countries, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBS) reports.
The Romanian leader together with the First Lady Carmen Johannis were received by Cabinet Secretaries Eliud Owalo and Peninah Malonza.
According to the Presidential Administration of Romania, President Iohannis was scheduled to visit Kenya, Tanzania, Cabo Verde, and Senegal between November 14-23.
This visit marks the first high-level political and diplomatic engagement with Africa by a Romanian president in the last three decades and aims to rejuvenate Romania’s relations with the continent in the wider context of the need to revitalise EU-Africa relations, the presidential administration said.
“These visits aim at relaunching the high-level political dialogue with the mentioned states and revitalizing economic and sectoral relations, aiming to open and capitalize on new opportunities for collaboration in areas of common interest, including those regarding the management of global challenges,” the Presidential Administration said last week.
Romania recently adopted the National Strategy for Africa, through which it aims to revive and enhance relations.
During the trip to Kenya, Klaus Iohannis will meet with President William Ruto and attend a meeting with the executive director of the UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) at the United Nations Office in Nairobi.
In Tanzania, the Romanian leader will have political consultations with President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Next, during the visit to Cabo Verde, Romania’s Iohannis will meet with President José Maria Neves, the president of the National Assembly Austelino Tavares Correia, Prime Minister José Ulisses Correia e Silva, and the mayor of Praia, Francisco Avelino Carvalho. Also, the Romanian leader will have a meeting with former students from Cabo Verde who studied in Romania. In Senegal, Klaus Iohannis will have political consultations with President Macky Sall and participate in the inauguration of the United Nations House.
