Kenya marks 50th anniversary of Independence with rapid development

The Korean dignitaries attending the reception included Deputy Minister Lee Kyung-soo of Foreign Affairs, former Minister of Science & Technology Chung Kun-Mo, Senior Representative Kim Young-Jin (former National Assemblyman), Chairman & CEO Thomas T.Y. Shinn of Korea Importers association, Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post, Managing Vice President and Regional Manager Passenger Sales Office Kim Jang-Soo of Korean Air, CEO Kim In-Hack of Paradise Hotel Incheon and CEO Cha Bo-young of World Best Brand.

From the SDC came many mission chiefs who included Ambassadors Mohammad Yunos Farman of Afghanistan, Hocine Sahraoui of Algeria, Jorge Roballo of Argentina, Mr. Ramzi Teymurov of Azerbaijan (CDA), Md. Enamul Kabir of Bangladesh, Natallia Jhylevich of Belarus, Guadalupe Palomeque de Taboada of Bolivia, Edmundo Sussumu Fujita of Brazil, Petar Andonov of Bulgaria, Ky Sim Chan of Cambodia, Kouassi Bile of Cote d'Ivoire, Hany Moawad Selim Labib of Egypt, Hector Gonzalez Urrutia of El Salvador, Dibaba Abdetta (Dr.) of Ethiopia, Tomasz Kozlowski of Delegation of The Europan Union, Carlos Victor Boungou of Gabon, Rolf Mafael of Germany, Nikoloz Apkhazava of Georgia, Ms. Louisa Aba Hanson of Ghana (CDA), Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla of Holy See, Ahmad Masoumifar of Iran, Khalil Ismai Abdul Sahib Al-Mosawi of Iraq,, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi of Kuwait, Duishonkul Chotonovof Kyrgyzstan, Jad El Hassan of Lebanon, Kaman Singh Lama of Nepal, Paul Menkveld of the Netherlands, Desmond Akawor of Nigeria, Mohamed Salim Alharthy of Oman, Ceferino Adrian Valdez Peralta of Paraguay, Luis T. Cruz of the Philippines, Krzysztof Majka of Poland, Antonio Quintero Nobre of Portugal, Calin Fabian of Romania, Konstantine V. Vnukov of Russia, Eugene S. Kayihura of Rwanda, Mamadou Ndiaye of Senegal, Hilton A. Dennis of South Africa, Luis Arias Romero of Spain, Tissa Wijeratne of Sri Lanka, Tajeldin Elhadi Eltahir of Sudan, Kittiphong Na Ranong of Thailand, Mohamed Ali Nafti of Tunisia and Vasyl Marmazov of Ukraine and Abdulla Khalfan Alromaithi of the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking to the guests, Ambassador Ngovi said: “I wish to welcome you all to this year’s Jamhuri Day celebration which also marks our 50th anniversary of Kenya’s Independence. As you are all aware, two weeks ago, the former President of South Africa, H.E. Nelson Mandela, passed on. In this regard, it is befitting that we all we all observe a minute of silence to honor this truly African Icon.”

Then he said that “we celebrate this defining moment in our history, let us also remember all those Pan-Africanists whose sacrifice and unity of purpose saw the Liberation of African Continent.”

케냐 독립 50주년 기념 오찬 연회 대성황

케냐 문맹율 50%를 단기간내에 10%로 끌어 내려

아프리카 케냐의 독립 50주년 기념일 오찬 행사가 주한 외교사절들과 이경수 외교부 차관보를 비롯 500여명의 대내외 인사들이 참석한 가운데 2013년 12월 16일 그랜드 하얏트 서울 호텔 리젠시 볼룸에서 성황리 개최 되었다.

오찬에는 대한민국 정부와 각계각층의 요인과 주한외교 사절이 참석하였으며 이중에는 전 과기부장관 정근모씨, 김영진 세계한인교류협력기구 대표(전국회의원), 신태용 한국 수입업 협회 회장, 이경식 영문월간 코리아포스트 발행인 겸 회장, 김장수 대한항공 상무 겸 서울여객지점장, 김인학 파라다이스 호텔 인천 대표이사 겸 사장 등도 눈에 띠었다.

주한외교사절단에서는 거의 전원이 참석했다는 느낌을 줄 정도로 많은 대사들이 참석을 했다. 확인된 분만 해도 다음과 같다.

참가 대사의 영문명.

Ambassadors Mohammad Yunos Farman of Afghanistan, Hocine Sahraoui of Algeria, Jorge Roballo of Argentina, Mr. Ramzi Teymurov of Azerbaijan (CDA), Md. Enamul Kabir of Bangladesh, Natallia Jhylevich of Belarus, Guadalupe Palomeque de Taboada of Bolivia, Edmundo Sussumu Fujita of Brazil, Petar Andonov of Bulgaria, Ky Sim Chan of Cambodia, Kouassi Bile of Cote d'Ivoire, Hany Moawad Selim Labib of Egypt, Hector Gonzalez Urrutia of El Salvador, Dibaba Abdetta (Dr.) of Ethiopia, Tomasz Kozlowski of Delegation of The Europan Union, Carlos Victor Boungou of Gabon, Rolf Mafael of Germany, Nikoloz Apkhazava of Georgia, Ms. Louisa Aba Hanson of Ghana (CDA), Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla of Holy See, Ahmad Masoumifar of Iran, Khalil Ismai Abdul Sahib Al-Mosawi of Iraq,, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi of Kuwait, Duishonkul Chotonovof Kyrgyzstan, Jad El Hassan of Lebanon, Kaman Singh Lama of Nepal, Paul Menkveld of the Netherlands, Desmond Akawor of Nigeria, Mohamed Salim Alharthy of Oman, Ceferino Adrian Valdez Peralta of Paraguay, Luis T. Cruz of the Philippines, Krzysztof Majka of Poland, Antonio Quintero Nobre of Portugal, Calin Fabian of Romania, Konstantine V. Vnukov of Russia, Eugene S. Kayihura of Rwanda, Mamadou Ndiaye of Senegal, Hilton A. Dennis of South Africa, Luis Arias Romero of Spain, Tissa Wijeratne of Sri Lanka, Tajeldin Elhadi Eltahir of Sudan, Kittiphong Na Ranong of Thailand, Mohamed Ali Nafti of Tunisia, Vasyl Marmazov of Ukraine and Abdulla Khalfan Alromaithi of the United Arab Emirates.
케냐 국가와 대한민국의 애국가의 연주가 끝난 다음 케냐대사의 환영 인사와 외교부 이경수 차관보의 답사가 이어졌다. (환영사 영문원문은 기사말미에 있음.)

환영사를 통해 응고비 키타우(Ngovi Kitau) 주한 케냐 대사는 50년 전 케냐의 높은 문맹률과 낮은 의료 수준 그리고 나이로비 및 몸바사 지역에만 국한된 전력 사정을 언급하면서 케냐 정부의 지속적인 경제 발전노력으로 현재의 케냐 국민의 90% 이상이 교육을 받고 있으며 의료 시설도 전 케냐 지역으로 퍼져 나아가고 있으며 전력도 국한된 공급에서 거의 케냐 전 지역에서 전력공급이 이루어 지고 있다고 말했다.

또한, 케냐정부의 아프리카 대륙에 더 많은 기여를 하기 위하여 지역 및 대륙 안건에 대한 5가지 계획을 소개 하였다. 다음은 5가지 계획에 대한 요약이다

첫째로, 아프리카 정상회의에서 동의한 아프리카의 평화 및 안보 구축의 일부로 빠른 회신방안을 위해 추진되는 단체설립에 기여 하고자 하며,
둘째로, 아프리카 대륙에서의 자유로운 이동을 위해 아프리카 국가의 여권소지자는 케냐에서 도착비자를 받을 수 있으며 6개월까지 체류 할 수 있도록 하고
셋째로, 최근에 채택된 대륙 자유 무역 설립 방안 실행의 가속화를 위해 협력 및 실행을 위한 기술적 기원을 제안 하였으며,
넷째로, 동아프리카 지역 내 아프리카 기반시설 계획 실행의 가속화를 위해 협력할 준비가 되어 있고
마지막으로, 야무스크로 선언에 따른 항공 운송 및 아프리카 영공 개방 정책실행을 이끌어 내기 위해 형제 아프리카 국가와 협력할 것임을 발표 하였다.

이외에도 한-케냐 경제 및 교류 발전 현황을 소개 하면서 2007년 주한 케냐 대사관 설립 이후 양 국가간의 관계가 괄목하게 발전 하여 2006년 케냐의 한국 수출이 5백만 달러에 그친 반면 2012년 2천 7백만 달러로 444%증가 하였으며, 2007년부터 3천5백만 달러에 준하는 프로젝트가 KOICA를 통해 진행 중이며 케냐를 방문하는 한국 관광객이 2008년 4774명에서 2012년 9422명으로 97% 증가 하였다고 소개 했다.

이 날 오찬에 참석한 국내 인사로는 외교부 이경수 차관보가 답사를 통해 케냐 및 아프리카 국가와의 관계의 중요성이 더욱 높아지고 있다고 말하면서 특히 박근혜 대통령 취임 후 아프리카 외교 정책의 중요성이 한층 더 높아지고 있다고 소개 하였다. 케냐는 더욱이 한국의 아프리카 외교정책 프로세스의 중심축이며 강창희 국회의장을 비롯 10명의 국회의원들이 케냐를 비롯 아프리카를 방문함은 이러한 한국의 아프리카 외교정책의 중요성을 대변하고 있다고 말하였다.

더욱이 2012년 6월21일 서울-나이로비 간 대한항공의 직항연결로 한-케냐간 거리가 가까워져 케냐는 더 이상의 먼 이웃 나라가 아니며 더 나아가 동쪽으로의 Gateway로서 케냐의 지리학적 접근성을 높이 평가 하였다.

끝으로 이경수 차관보는 “Twende Pamoja (going together)”라는 기치하에 더욱더 한-케냐의 관계가 발전 될 것이며 한국은 2030 비전에 대한 전폭적인 지원을 아끼지 않을 것임을 강조 하였다. 덧붙여, Ngovi Kitau 주한 케냐 대사가 한국음식을 통해 13kg감량을 소개하고 차관보 역시 케냐 커피를 좋아하며 이를 통해 감량하기를 희망하며 “Twende Pamoja (going together)” 라고 건배제의를 하며 한-케냐의 동반자 관계의 발전을 희망하였다.

(응고비 키타우(Ngovi Kitau) 주한 케냐 대사의 환영사 전문)

Excerpts from the speech of Ambassador Gnovi Kitau of Kenya:

YOUR EXCELLENCY, MR., DEAN OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE KOREAN GOVERNMENT,
THE DEAN OF DIPLOMATIC CORPS
EXCELLENCIES AND AMBASSADORS,
HEADS OF MISSIONS AND MEMBERS OF DIPLOMATIC CORPS,
FELLOW KENYANS,
MEMBERS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR,
FRIENDS OF KENYA, FELLOW KENYANS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

I WISH TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS YEAR’S JAMHURI DAY CELEBRATION WHICH ALSO MARKS OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF KENYA’S INDEPENDENCE. AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE, TWO WEEKS AGO, THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA, H.E. NELSON MANDELA, PASSED ON. IN THIS REGARD, IT IS BEFITTING, WE ALL OBSERVE A MINUTE OF SILENCE TO HONOUR THIS TRULY AFRICAN ICON.
THANK YOU.
AS WE CELEBRATE THIS DEFINING MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY, LET US ALSO REMEMBER ALL THOSE PAN-AFRICANISTS WHOSE SACRIFICE AND UNITY OF PURPOSE SAW THE LIBERATION OF AFRICAN CONTINENT. TOGETHER WITH OUR FOUNDING PRESIDENT, MZEE JOMO KENYATTA; KWAME NKRUMAH OF GHANA; MWALIMU JULIUS NYERERE OF TANZANIA; KENNETH KAUNDA OF ZAMBIA; ALGERIA’S FOUNDING PRESIDENT, AHMED BEN BELLA; AND OF COURSE NELSON MANDELA, THESE WERE VISIONARY LEADERS WHO SAW A UNITED AFRICA AS THE FOUNDATION OF A TRULY PROSPEROUS CONTINENT. WE ARE PROUD OF THESE GREAT SONS OF AFRICA, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SACRIFICIAL ROLE, WHICH CONTINUES TO SHAPE OUR CONTINENT.

EXCELLENCIES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
TODAY MARKS A HISTORIC, MOMENTOUS AND GLORIOUS DAY FOR OUR COUNTRY,
IT IS WITH JOY AND PRIDE THAT WE CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE. FIFTY YEARS AGO, ON DECEMBER 12, 1963 A NEW AND HOPEFUL NATION, KENYA, WAS BORN WITH UNLIMITED POTENTIAL. WE BEGAN THE JOURNEY OF DETERMINING OUR OWN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL DESTINY.

THE FREEDOM WE ENJOY TODAY WAS EARNED THROUGH THE BLOOD OF PATRIOTS AND THEIR SACRIFICES MUST NEVER BE IN VAIN. AS WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT THEY PLAYED IN OUR NATION’S HISTORY, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE GREATEST HONOUR THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM IS TO LIVE BY THE HIGH IDEALS THAT THEY ENVISIONED FOR KENYA. THEIR PASSIONATE DREAMS FOR AN EQUITABLE, FREE AND JUST KENYA MUST REMAIN OUR DRIVING FORCE TODAY AND IN THE YEARS TO COME.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE UNITY EXHIBITED BY THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, TRIBE, RELIGION, OR CLASS SHOULD MOTIVATE OUR EFFORTS TO BUILD A UNITED, PROSPEROUS NATION, DEVOID OF ETHNIC OR PAROCHIAL DIVISIONS. WE MUST REMAIN, UNITED AS KENYANS.

EXCELLENCIES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
AT INDEPENDENCE OUR FOUNDING PRESIDENT, IDENTIFIED THREE ENEMIES THAT WE WERE TO FIGHT FROM THEN ON. THESE WERE POVERTY, IGNORANCE, AND DISEASE.OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN OVERCOMING THESE PROBLEMS. FIFTY YEARS AGO, OUR ECONOMY WAS BASICALLY ONE PRODUCING PRIMARY COMMODITIES THAT WERE MORE MEANT TO PROVIDE RAW MATERIALS FOR OUR COLONISER’S INDUSTRIES.

TODAY, THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SUCCESSFUL LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN A MYRIAD OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES THAT PRODUCE GOODS AND SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION AS WELL AS FOR EXPORT. OUR SECURITIES EXCHANGE IS THRIVING AND IS ONE OF THE LEADING BOURSES ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. WE ALSO HAVE A STRONG MIDDLE CLASS THAT IS GROWING BY THE DAY.

THE SERVICE SECTOR, ESPECIALLY ICT, HAS GROWN IN LEAPS AND BOUNDS, DRIVEN BY HOME-GROWN INNOVATIONS AND IS NOW PROVIDING LIVELIHOOD TO MILLIONS OF OUR PEOPLE. KENYA IS NOW A REGIONAL FINANCIAL HUB AND NUMEROUS MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES HAVE SET UP REGIONAL AND CONTINENTAL OFFICES IN NAIROBI. MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, WHICH IS THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY, HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY MODERNIZED. INDEED, IT IS A SOURCE OF INCOME FOR OUR FARMERS.

WE ALSO HAVE AN ENVIABLE INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK THAT FACILITATES TRADE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS THE REGION. TO INCREASE OUR STOCK OF INFRASTRUCTURE, KENYA RECENTLY LAUNCHED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY LINE, AND AN ADDITIONAL TERMINAL AT JOMO KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN NAIROBI. THESE PROJECTS WILL GREATLY ENHANCE OUR COMPETITIVENESS AS KENYA AND, INDEED, FOR THE EASTERN AFRICA REGION AS A WHOLE.

TO FURTHER DEEPEN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, THE GOVERNMENT, IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS, HAS COMMITTED TO UNDERTAKE THE LAMU PORT, SOUTH SUDAN, AND ETHIOPIA TRANSIT (LAPSSET) PROJECT, WHICH WILL OPEN A SECOND MAJOR CORRIDOR OF DEVELOPMENT IN THIS REGION.
EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
FIFTY YEARS AGO, MILLIONS OF OUR PEOPLE WERE ILLITERATE AND UNSCHOOLED. TODAY, OVER 90 PERCENT OF KENYANS ARE EDUCATED. WE HAVE A FORWARD-LOOKING, VERSATILE AND AMBITIOUS PEOPLE ABLE TO SUPPORT EVERY INDUSTRY IN THE MODERN ECONOMY.

FIFTY YEARS AGO, HEALTHCARE WAS INACCESSIBLE TO MOST OF OUR PEOPLE. HEALTH FACILITIES WERE FEW, FAR BETWEEN AND THOUSANDS OF OUR PEOPLE DIED FROM TREATABLE MEDICAL CONDITIONS. TODAY, THE SITUATION IS REMARKABLY DIFFERENT. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF HEALTH WORKERS, BUT ALSO SERVICES ARE MUCH CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE AS HEALTH FACILITIES ARE NOW SPREAD ACROSS ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE ALSO ACHIEVED NOTABLE SUCCESS IN THE AREAS OF CHILD AND MATERNAL HEALTH.

FIFTY YEARS AGO ELECTRICITY WAS ONLY ASSOCIATED LARGELY WITH THE CITIES OF NAIROBI AND MOMBASA. TODAY WE HAVE, THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PUBLIC INVESTMENT PROGRAMME, TAKEN ELECTRIC POWER TO MOST PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT WERE IN THE PAST VIEWED AS REMOTE. THIS IS TRANSFORMING OUR RURAL SET-UPS AND EMPOWERING THEM.

EXCELLENCIES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

IN THE RECENT PAST, COAL, OIL AND OTHER MINERAL RESOURCES WITH COMMERCIAL VIABILITY HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR KENYA TO LIFT ITSELF TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE EXPLOITATION OF THESE RESOURCES. THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING ON POLICIES TO GUIDE THE EXPLOITATION OF THESE MINERALS AND TO HELP US AVOID THE PITFALLS OF OTHER MINERAL RICH COUNTRIES WHERE THEY HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, CONFLICT AND SOCIAL DECAY.

EXCELLENCIES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
AFRICA HAS ALWAYS STOOD BY KENYA AS WE SEEK INTEGRATION AND GROWTH, AND WE, IN RETURN, WILL ALWAYS STAND BY AFRICA ? WHICH, IS NOW AT THE CENTRE OF OUR ECONOMIC POLICY. AS OUR PRESIDENT STATED DURING HIS INAUGURATION EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND AGAIN WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE AFRICAN UNION IN HIS MAIDEN SPEECH, KENYA’S NATIONAL INTEREST IS ANCHORED ON REGIONAL AND CONTINENTAL INTEGRATION.

THIS YEAR, THE AFRICAN UNION, LIKE KENYA, IS CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY. IN 1963, WHEN OUR PIONEERS ESTABLISHED THE OAU, THEIR VISION WAS TO REALISE POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AS A MEANS OF ACHIEVING PROSPERITY, PEACE AND GROWTH. CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TOWARDS REGIONAL AND CONTINENTAL INTEGRATION AND KENYA WILL REMAIN A MAJOR PLAYER IN THAT PROCESS.

IN EASTERN AFRICA, THE EAC PARTNER STATES HAVE COMMITTED TO A CUSTOMS UNION; ACHIEVING A MONETARY UNION; AND EVENTUALLY, OUR AIM IS TO ACHIEVE A POLITICAL FEDERATION. CONCURRENTLY THE EAC IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (COMESA) AND THE SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) ARE NEGOTIATING A TRIPARTITE FREE TRADE AREA.

THE HIGH GROWTH RATE THAT AFRICA HAS ATTAINED WAS SPURRED BY PRUDENT MACRO-ECONOMIC POLICIES ADOPTED BY A LARGE NUMBER OF AFRICAN STATES, THE RELATIVE PEACE AND SECURITY THAT PREVAILS ON MOST OF THE CONTINENT, THE REGIONAL INTEGRATION THAT ENGENDERS GROWING INTRA-AFRICAN TRADE AND BUOYANT COMMODITY PRICES.

IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN AND ENHANCE THIS MOMENTUM, IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO ACCELERATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONTINENTAL INTEGRATION AGENDA ESPECIALLY AS RELATES TO INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, FOOD SECURITY, AND THE FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE, GOODS AND SERVICES. TO FURTHER DEEPEN OUR COMMITMENTS TO THE CONTINENT, THE KENYA GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED FIVE INITIATIVES ON OUR REGIONAL AND CONTINENTAL AGENDA.

FIRST, KENYA WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A BRIGADE TO BE PART OF THE RAPID RESPONSE MECHANISM AS PART OF THE AFRICA PEACE AND SECURITY ARCHITECTURE AGREED DURING THE LAST ASSEMBLY OF AU HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT.

SECOND, KENYA WILL CHAMPION ? WITH OUR AFRICAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS ? THE FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS ON THE CONTINENT. TODAY,ANY AFRICAN PASSPORT WILL OBTAIN A VISA ON ARRIVAL IN KENYA BASED ON A PRINCIPLE OF RECIPROCITY. UNDER THESE ARRANGEMENTS, ANY AFRICAN VISITOR MAY STAY FOR UP TO 6 MONTHS. THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE WILL BE WHEN NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SECURITY COULD BE COMPROMISED.

THIRD, KENYA IS READY TO PARTNER WITH OUR SISTERLY COUNTRIES IN THE SOUTHERN, CENTRAL, WESTERN AND NORTHERN REGIONS, TO FAST-TRACK THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECENTLY ADOPTED CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA. KENYA HAS ALSO OFFERED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO THE PROCESS.

FOURTH, KENYA IS READY TO CHAMPION THE FAST TRACKING OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AFRICAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMME WITHIN THE EASTERN AFRICA REGION.

FIFTH, KENYA OFFERS TO WORK WITH FELLOW AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO STEER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INTEGRATED AIR TRANSPORT AND AFRICAN OPEN SKIES POLICY IN LINE WITH THE YAMOUSSOUKRO DECISION. WE BELIEVE THESE MEASURES ARE IMPORTANT TO ADD IMPETUS TO AFRICA’S GROWTH EFFORTS, AND SHOW OUR DEEP COMMITMENT.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IN BUILDING OUR NATION AND TAKING IT TO THE LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE CANNOT FORGET TO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT WE HAVE GOTTEN FROM OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS INCLUDING THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA. WE ARE PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT HAS GONE INTO BUILDING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS CRITICAL IN ENHANCING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR ECONOMY.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE A MESSAGE FOR THEM. IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNISE THAT KENYA AND AFRICA HAS COME OF AGE. KENYA SEEKS CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP. WE WILL EMBRACE PARTNERSHIPS BASED ON MUTUAL RESPECT AND WIN-WIN SCENARIOS. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT PARTNERSHIPS THAT DO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY TO ENGAGE ON EQUAL TERMS. KENYA HAS A VOICE. FIFTY YEARS AFTER INDEPENDENCE, KENYA DEMANDS THAT IT’S VOICE MUST BE HEARD.
THE KENYA-KOREA RELATIONS HAVE EXPANDED REMARKABLY SINCE 7TH FEBRUARY, 1964 AND ESPECIALLY SO AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MISSION IN SEOUL IN 2007. FOR INSTANCE, KENYA’S ANNUAL EXPORTS HAVE INCREASED FROM USD 5 MILLION IN 2006 TO USD 27 MILLION IN 2012, A GROWTH OF 444%. SINCE 2007, KENYA AND KOREA HAVE MANAGED A TOTAL OF 19 PROJECTS WORTH USD 35 MILLION UNDER KOICA WHEREAS 50 MILLION WAS DISBURSED THROUGH KOREA EXIM BANK UNDER ODA. IN ADDITION BETWEEN 2007 AND 2012, KOREA HAS AWARDED 292 SCHOLARSHIPS TO KENYANS THROUGH KOICA WHILE 27 SCHOLARSHIPS WERE PROVIDED VIA NIIED. KOREA TOURISTS TO KENYA INCREASED FROM 4,774 IN 2008 TO 9,422 IN 2012 REPRESENTING 97% GROWTH. AT PRESENT, KENYA AND KOREA HAVE CONCLUDED 6 AGREEMENTS AND 12 MOU’S AND NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING FOR OF A FURTHER 4 AGREEMENTS AND 10 MOU’S.

IN CONCLUSION, WE BELIEVE THAT KENYA IS ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING A MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF LIVING AS LAID OUT IN OUR VISION 2030.

EXCELLENCIES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

LET ME TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH YOU ALL MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS HAPPY NEW YEAR.

I THANK YOU; GOD BLESS YOU; AND GOD BLESS KENYA.