By Wilkister Akinyi
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Swiss counterpart Alain Berset after bilateral talks in 2018.
Kenya plans to establish a new embassy in Bern the capital city of Switzerland to foster trade ties between Kenya and Switzerland.
This has been revealed by Kenya’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Andrew Kihurani.
“The new chancery will invigorate the growing bilateral trade which has been on the upward trend with Kenya’s exports standing KSH .4.8 billion while imports from Switzerland standing at ksh.8 billion annually,” Kihurani lauded.
He also pointed out “Another primary issue we engage in is promotion of trade. You may be aware that there’s significant bilateral trade between the two countries. Kenya is Switzerland’s 16thbiggest trading partner in Africa.”
The Kenyan Ambassador pointed out that despite the balance of trade being tilted in favour of Switzerland, Kenya has continued to increase its export of coffee, tea and horticultural produce.
He added that bilateral trade in 2021 was extensive with Kenya being Switzerland’s major source of cut flowers.
Imports from Switzerland to Kenya include herbicides, fungicides, chemicals, paints, machinery and pharmaceuticals.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Swiss counterpart Alain Berset after bilateral talks
at State House, Nairobi in 2018 [PSC]
Ambassador Kihurani noted that the core the country engages in is the promotion of trade between the two states. He further affirmed that the nations have had significant cooperation in the tourism sector, “Kenya used to receive over 9000 tourist annually from Switzerland prior to the COVID- 19 pandemic,” he said.
During the outbreak of the COVID- 19 pandemic, Kenya’s tourism sector was greatly affected by the COVID-19 protocols that were enforced limiting traveling between countries.
Kihurani expressed hope that the ongoing COVID- 19 vaccination process will revive the tourism sector with Kenya receiving an increase of tourists from Switzerland. He stated that he expects the level of tourism to begin growing once again.
“Switzerland has done about 70% of vaccination of its population and of course Kenya we are continuing to increase the level of vaccination,” he declared.
Speaking ahead of President Kenyatta’s official visit to Switzerland, Kihurani also pointed out that President Uhuru Kenyatta will visit Geneva which is scheduled to address the World Health Assembly on May 22nd 2022.
The World Health Assembly in its 75th anniversary takes place every year.
