This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
On Tuesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta welcomed Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at State House, Nairobi, to discuss growing bilateral relations and potential investments in renewable energy, affordable housing, and telecommunications.
Published on August 20, 2019, the meeting marked a significant step in strengthening ties between Kenya and Qatar, with the President expressing satisfaction with the growing bilateral relations between the two countries.
President Kenyatta cited the establishment of a shipping line plying the Mombasa and Doha route, as well as the recent launch of Qatar Airlines flights to Mombasa twice a week, as examples of initiatives increasing people-to-people interaction between the two countries.
Deputy Prime Minister Abdulrahman Al-Thani delivered greetings to the President from the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and emphasized his country's valued friendship with Kenya and its commitment to supporting its growth.
"We remain a solid partner to Kenya on all fronts. We are ready to work even more closely to take our cooperation to a higher level," the premier said.
The meeting also touched on peace and security, with President Kenyatta briefing the Qatari leader on the progress made in entrenching stability in the region, including the situation in Somalia and the recently signed transitional government agreement in Sudan.
President Kenyatta expressed optimism that with new areas of cooperation opening up, the trade volume between Kenya and Qatar is set to increase.
