President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Mozambican counterpart, Filipe Nyusi, used a Nairobi business forum to press the private sector to move beyond the modest trade figures recorded between the two countries.
The leaders said the commercial relationship had grown, but not fast enough given the opportunities available in both markets. In 2017, Kenya imported goods worth 31 million US dollars from Mozambique, while exports to the southern African country stood at 12 million US dollars.
Kenyatta said the exchange was still concentrated in manufactured goods, which he described as a positive sign for Africa’s industrial growth. He urged Kenyan firms to widen their export base and look more seriously at opportunities in Mozambique’s mining, oil and gas sectors.
He also pointed to coal imports by Kenyan cement companies as evidence that business links were already deepening. At the same time, he invited Mozambican investors and traders to consider Kenya, describing the local economy as open and supportive of business.
Earlier on Wednesday, the two presidents witnessed the signing of an agreement that removes visa requirements for citizens of Kenya and Mozambique travelling between the two countries. Kenyatta said his government would work with Nyusi to ensure the implementation of all agreements signed during the visit.
Nyusi called for stronger private-sector partnerships in agriculture, agribusiness, minerals and tourism. He said Mozambique could also share its experience in fishing and confirmed that his country would take part in the Blue Economy Conference scheduled for Nairobi from Monday next week.
The Mozambican leader said he would head his country’s delegation to the conference, which was expected to draw 11 Heads of State and 8,000 delegates.
Both presidents said better infrastructure would help unlock intra-Africa trade, which they described as still too low. Kenyatta also said Kenya and Mozambique would cooperate on countering terrorism and organised crime.
At the business forum, Kenyatta said the two countries were similar because both work closely with the private sector. Nyusi, in turn, said Kenya and Mozambique shared a long history and urged stronger economic links between their business communities.
He said he was impressed by Kenya’s democratic space and encouraged Kenyatta to keep strengthening the separation of powers. Nyusi also thanked Kenya for its role in helping bring the Mozambique civil war to an end.
“Kenya, to Mozambique, is not just another country. It is part of our history,” he said.
The Mozambican president also praised Kenya’s heritage, citing Prof Wangari Maathai and Kipchoge Keino among the country’s notable figures.
The forum was attended by Deputy President William Ruto and Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, among other officials. Later, Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta hosted a State Banquet at State House, Nairobi, in honour of Nyusi and Mozambique’s First Lady, Isaura Nyusi.
During the dinner, Kenyatta said cultural and language similarities between the two countries made interaction easier. He said Kenya and Mozambique would continue to deepen their economic partnership while also working together on security matters.
Nyusi was scheduled to visit Mombasa and Kwale Counties on Thursday. In Kwale, he was expected to meet members of the Makonde community, which President Kenyatta had officially recognised as Kenya’s 43rd ethnic group the previous year. The Makonde came to Kenya from Mozambique in the 1950s.
