President Kenyatta set for three-day visit to Cuba

President Uhuru Kenyatta will leave the country on Tuesday, March 13 for a three-day State visit to the Carribean nation of Cuba.

The president will be seeking to bolster Kenya’s bilateral relations with Cuba, especially deepening collaboration and cooperation in health, sports, culture, blue economy and trade.

“Mid last year, Kenya and Cuba signed an MoU on Health Cooperation.  There is a great opportunity, during the President’s visit, for the two nations to expand the MoU implementation for the achievement of universal healthcare, an important deliverable in President Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda,” said State House in a statement.

During the visit, the Head of State is also expected to encourage Cuba to set up a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Kenya to serve the East and Central Africa regional market.

“The President will explore how to build Kenyan capacity, increase the number of medical specialists in orthopaedic surgery, oncology, neurology, and trauma management; and collaborate in research on cancer and diabetes drugs, and eradication of malaria. Kenya will also seek cooperation in veterinary vaccines,” read the statement.

Kenya will also be seeking a knowledge share and capacity training exchanges on sports including boxing, volleyball, track and field events. In exchange Kenya will be offering Cuban athletes and coaches opportunities to train at High-Altitude training facilities in Kenya.

On the multilateral front, President Kenyatta is expected to support Cuba in its campaign for a complete removal of financial and economic for embargo imposed by US.

Meanwhile, the President will seek support for Kenya’s candidature for the non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for the period 2021-2022.

Cuba established an Embassy in Nairobi in 2001, while Kenya first accredited its mission in Ottawa to Cuba, and then established its resident mission in Havana in September 2016.