'Kenyan side expressed interest in learning from India in several areas': MEA Secretary (ER) Dammu Ravi

During a crucial visit by Kenya President William Samoei Ruto to India, both nations have strengthened their longstanding ties through the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and strategic collaborations across various sectors, stated Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER) of the Ministry of External Affairs. Ravi provided insightful remarks on the significant outcomes of President Ruto’s visit, emphasising key developments in agriculture, education, fintech, space, and health cooperation.

#WATCH | On President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto's visit to India, MEA Secretary (ER) Dammu Ravi says, "This is the first meeting taking place post G 20. The visit is happening after Voice of Global South where Ruto participated.... The Kenyan side expressed interest in… pic.twitter.com/OmC48CstNG

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A notable aspect of the visit was Kenya’s expressed intention to offer agricultural farmland to Indian companies, aiming to promote farming activities in the region. Simultaneously, MoUs were inked between the open universities of both nations, igniting a collaborative effort in the field of education. These agreements set the stage for a multifaceted exchange that encompasses cultural, sports, digital solutions, and digital transformation initiatives. “Education is another area. The open universities of both sides, IGNOU and Kenyan Open University, have entered into an MoU. Space is another area of cooperation. So these are the five MoUs that have been signed,” said the MEA Secretary. Kenya’s keen interest in learning from India extends to the fintech space, with a specific focus on UPI and Aadhaar. The health sector emerged as a significant area of cooperation, with discussions ranging from medical expertise exchanges to collaborative efforts in traditional medicine. “The Kenyan side expressed interest in learning from India in several areas, particularly in fintech, space, the UPI, the Aadhaar, and the health space. They have expressed interest in having greater cooperation, particularly with Indian specialist doctors visiting those countries, and in turn, they would like to have a longer stay for their specialists, nurses, and medical doctors to come to India to learn from us. Traditional medicine also figured very strongly in the bilateral talks,” he added. Ravi also said that the economic landscape witnessed a substantial boost with announcements such as the enhancement of the line of credit for agriculture modernisation in Kenya. A ground-breaking customised training programme for Kenyan space scientists by ISRO and the development of a geospatial information portal for Kenya further underscored the commitment to technological advancements. “Besides, there have also been other announcements. For example, you have the line of credit to enhance from the existing 100 million to USD 250,000,000 for the agriculture modernization of Kenya and a customised training programme for 20 space scientists of the Kenya Space Agency, which will be done by ISRO, and a geospatial information portal for Kenya, which India will be developing for them. And then, last but not least, the Kenyan government expressed interest in joining the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuel Alliance,” the MEA Secretary added. With inputs from ANI