This archive report was first published on 12 December 2019.
Kenya and Barbados are strengthening their economic ties, with a delegation of Kenyan financial sector representatives scheduled to visit Barbados in the next two weeks to explore business opportunities in the Caribbean.
According to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, having Kenyan financial firms operating in Barbados will serve as an anchor for Kenyan businesses, enabling them to trade in the wider Caribbean Community (CARICOM) region.
"When Kenyan banks and financial institutions get a foothold in Barbados and the Caribbean, Kenyan businesses will have familiar faces to deal with," PM Mottley said during a reception at State House, Nairobi, hosted by President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta.
The visit is part of several agreements reached after discussions between President Kenyatta and Prime Minister Mottley to deepen business ties between Kenya and Barbados.
PM Mottley also announced plans to establish direct air and sea links with Kenya to spur trade between East Africa and the Caribbean, with an air services agreement set to be signed soon.
President Kenyatta welcomed the visit, stating that it will bring Kenya and Barbados closer in trade and culture, and that the two nations have agreed to forge closer ties in banking and finance, health and education, ICT, and renewable energy.
