The presidents of Mozambique and Kenya announced that they want to prioritise value-added agricultural processing in the tea, sugar and coffee sectors.
William Ruto and Filipe Nyusi met on Thursday in Dakar, Senegal, on the sidelines of the African Food Summit.
The joint intention to bet on processing in some agricultural sectors was expressed today in a statement distributed by the Kenyan presidency, without further details.
Ruto stressed the importance of the existence of regional blocs that facilitate the movement of people and goods, and called on all countries to sign the tripartite agreement between the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market Organisation for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
The ratification of the “tripartite alliance” will serve to unite the three regional blocs, the statement said.
“This will enable an improved framework for trade and investment, without unnecessary complications,” Ruto concluded.
The meeting between Nyusi and Ruto followed other initiatives to bring closer together the two countries, which signed a general cooperation agreement in 2021.
In the same year, Kenya opened its high commissioner’s office in Maputo, which became the country’s first diplomatic representation in Mozambique.
Mozambique has had a diplomatic mission in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital since 1997.
About a year ago, in February 2022, the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA) announced the intention, along with Kenyan representatives, to organise a business forum to bring businesspeople from the two countries together.
Kenya was the 34th destination of Mozambican exports in 2020, worth €6.6 million and the 50th origin of imports, with a value of €6.9 million.
