Kenya, Seychelles to improve cooperation in tourism, trade

Kenya and the Indian Ocean nation of Seychelles have agreed to put in place measures that would improve cooperation in tourism and trade between the two countries.

The agreement was reached following bilateral talks between President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Danny Faure of Seychelles held at State House in Nairobi on Monday during his three day visit of Kenya.

Kenya is the first country that President Faure has visited since he became Head of State six months ago.

The two Presidents, who were joined by Deputy President William Ruto in the meeting, reached a deal to have Kenya and Seychelles cooperate in tourism development by partnering the agencies managing the sectors in the respective countries.

President Kenyatta said Kenya and Seychelles each have tourism products they are famous for and it will make economic sense if they partnered to promote each other.

Kenya is known for its safari tourism while Seychelles is known for its beach destinations.

President Faure said the deal will see Kenya and Seychelles will put a framework for a two-centre destination where the two countries will work jointly to promote their tourism products.

He said the renewed partnership between Kenya and Seychelles is informed by the fact that it is a new age and today Africa is different from the Africa of the 1950s.

As part of the efforts to enhance the close cooperation between the two nations, Kenya Airways will also increase its flights to Seychelles.

President Kenyatta said: “It is both our ambitions and intention to ensure that we do everything that we can to deepen regional trade investment and to grow our regional economies by working together,” said President Kenyatta.

“What we are doing now is to improve Government to Government ties,” said President Kenyatta as he thanked the important role Seychelles has played as a strategic security partner in dealing with piracy and drug trafficking.

The bilateral meeting held at State House, Nairobi reached, a broad-based agreement that will see Kenya export more human capital and agricultural products to Seychelles.

President Faure said it makes more economic sense for his country to import beef and poultry from Kenya instead of countries like Brazil.

The two leaders said that Seychelles will support Kenya to make the port of Mombasa to develop the capacity to act as a fish trans-shipment port.