By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The UK has announced that it will send 817,000 COVID-19 vaccines in the other direction to boost Kenya’s vaccination programme.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated this when he welcomed President Uhuru Kenyatta to his country residence for talks on Wednesday.
The two leaders will toast the huge strides made in the last 18 months on the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership, just as the UK reinforced its support on COVID-19 with the vaccine donation. The Oxford-AstraZeneca doses – half through a direct bilateral donation, and half through a UK donation to the COVAX facility – will be shipped from the UK to Kenya as soon as possible in the coming days.
Since they agreed the Strategic Partnership in Downing Street the last time President Kenyatta visited in London in January 2020, Kenya and the UK have strengthened cooperation in all areas.
In their meeting, they are expected to welcome the new five-year Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) agreed during this visit, yesterday’s launch of the Nairobi International Finance Centre, and new deals on affordable housing and infrastructure.
The two will take a long walk around the grounds of Chequers, the Prime Minister’s official country residence in Buckinghamshire, planting a tree to mark the Kenya-UK Year of Climate Action.
Then on Thursday, the Prime Minister and President will co-chair the Global Education Summit, to raise $5 billion (KES 540 billion) for educating the world’s poorest in the next five years.
Speaking before their bilateral talks, President Uhuru Kenyatta said:
“This visit has presented a unique opportunity to reaffirm our commitments to the long-standing bilateral relations between Kenya and the UK, that are founded on shared values and similar aspirations of enhanced cooperation for sustained socio-economic prosperity for our two peoples.”
Also speaking ahead of the meeting, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, ‘The UK and Kenya share a long and rich history, but this is a relationship that is focused on the future.
“As friends and allies, we are sharing UK vaccine doses to support Kenya’s fight against the pandemic. From boosting economic growth to addressing climate change and getting girls into school, the UK and Kenya are working hand-in-hand to deliver a more secure and prosperous world.
“I look forward to welcoming President Kenyatta today to drive that agenda forward, and to joining forces tomorrow to raise vital funds at the Global Education Summit in London.”