Upon receiving his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta, who is currently on a state visit in this capital, Ramaphosa also highlighted the historical bilateral ties, rooted in Kenya’s moral support for our struggle for liberation, racial equality and democracy, he said.

For this, he added, we are eternally grateful to the people of Kenya. Solidarity, mutual respect and a common vision for a better Africa and a better world are the pillars of our relationship, in the present time and in the future.

This state visit, he recalled, takes place after the successful Joint Cooperation Commission between Kenya and South Africa, which took place on August 11, 2021 in Nairobi.

The Commission, he added, provided the opportunity to review our current bilateral relations while laying the foundations for more regular exchanges and meetings between officials of our governments.

Now, Ramaphosa argued, it is time to upgrade our ties to that of a strategic partnership, which also ensures fair trade between the two countries.

Current bilateral trade exchange produces benefits 21 times higher in favor of South Africa.

pgh/lcr