Uhuru back from three-country tour

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday morning jetted back into the country after a tour of three countries where he attended and addressed international forums key to the national development agenda.

The president and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after midnight from South Africa where he attended a summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

On arrival, President Kenyatta and the First Lady were received by Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Chief of Defence Forces General Samson Mwathethe among other senior government officials.

At the three international forums, issues of terrorism, climate change and development were extensively addressed, with President Kenyatta championing Kenya’s agenda, outlining steps his government has undertaken in tackling current global challenges.

At the FOCAC summit, President Uhuru Kenyatta met Chinese President Xi Jinping and held discussions on improving growing ties between Kenya and China, anchored on equality, mutual trust and benefit and win-win outcomes.

President Xi assured President Kenyatta of China’s commitment to ensuring that its joint development projects with Kenya succeed.

In Paris, France, where he attended UN Climate Change Summit, President Kenyatta was among African leaders pushing for secured legally binding commitments as regards to the reduction of carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases to limit global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius.

While in Valletta, Malta, attending the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the president called for unified efforts in the fight against radicalization, violent extremism and terrorism.

In South Africa, the First Lady addressed an inaugural China-Africa AIDS Prevention and Control Advocacy Event in Johannesburg.

The First Lady was representing the East African region in a meeting that was attended by Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan and other members of the Organization of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA).

She lauded the emerging China-Africa partnership in combating HIV/AIDS, saying it heralded new support to the fight against the scourge in the continent.

She expressed the need to pool resources in curbing HIV/AIDS, particularly among young people.