Uhuru’s visit to France to bring Sh25b in investments – Amina

President Uhuru Kenyatta is in Paris, France for a three-day state visit whose outcome is expected to secure Sh25 billion worth of investment for Kenya, Foreign Affairs CS Amina Mohammed has said.

President Kenyatta and first lady Margaret Kenyatta were received by French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian at the Cour Des Dome Invalides in Paris.

Kenyatta and his host President François Hollande on Monday held currently bilateral talks that sought to forge a strategic partnership to stem the rise of violent extremism among other matters of mutual benefit.

The head of state and the first lady, who were accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs and International Trade), Henry Rotich (National Treasury), Najib Balala (Tourism) and Eugene Wamalwa (Water and Irrigation), also got a chance to meet and congratulate the Kenyan athletes who had won the Paris Marathon.

Speaking moments before departing from Nairobi, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said the visit is a “marker” of where the relationship of Kenya and France stands today.

“We consider France as a partner not a donor because the work we have been doing together is not the kind that happens when it is a donor-recipient relationship,” said Amina

“It is a relationship that France would have even with the developed world with joint ventures where resources coming into the country are investments not aid,” added the CS.

Other areas of cooperation likely to feature at the bilateral meeting include energy, health, education, agriculture, water, sports and culture.

According to Amina, a record seven agreements will be signed that will inject into the Kenyan economy 250 million euros.

President Kenyatta is also expected to meet French importers of Kenyan products.

On Tuesday, the president will separately meet members of the French private sector and French tourism stakeholders to explore ways of increasing the number of French tourists to Kenya.

President Kenyatta will also hold talks with the Director General of UNESCO, Ms Irina Bokova as well as meet Kenyans living and working in France.