This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
On August 8, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta arrived in Barbados, where they were received at the Grantley Adams International Airport by Prime Minister Mia Mottley. The President was accorded a full state reception, complete with a 21-gun salute.
During a welcome reception hosted by Barbadian Governor General Dame Sandra Mason, President Kenyatta expressed the need for Kenya and Barbados to scale up their bilateral engagement for the mutual benefit of the two countries. He described Barbados as a strategic partner for Kenya in the Caribbean, noting that the two developing countries need to work in solidarity in pursuit of closer ties, especially with regard to South-South cooperation.
“Barbados is an English-speaking country with populations of African heritage. Our similarities are greater than our differences,” President Kenyatta said. He noted that Kenya’s engagement with its African diaspora has been lacking but expressed confidence that his visit to Barbados would strengthen relations between the two countries.
During his three-day state visit, President Kenyatta will lead the Kenyan delegation at bilateral talks with Prime Minister Mottley and her delegation, which will culminate in the signing of bilateral agreements to bolster cooperation between Kenya and Barbados.
