NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 28 — President William Ruto and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed are holding bilateral talks at State House, Nairobi, as Kenya and Ethiopia seek to consolidate existing ties.
The Ethiopian leader arrived in the country on Tuesday evening.
Abiy inspected a guard of honuor and received a 21-gun salute on his arrival at State House on Wednesday.
The bilateral talks between Ruto and Abiy, and their respective delegations, come hot on the heels of the 36th Joint Ministerial Commission held in Addis Ababa.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who doubles up as the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary, and Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Taye Selasie on February 22, revisited Kenya-Ethiopia ties in a bid to cement economic, social, security and foreign relations cooperation, according to a dispatch.
Mudavadi signed key cooperation deals in seven sectors on behalf of the government.
They included MoUs on tourism, wildlife, culture, blue economy, petroleum, correctional services, and capacity building in public service.
Mudavadi underscored the critical need for Kenya and Ethiopia to collaborate in eliminating trade barriers hindering their economic progress.
While highlighting the importance of eliminating trade barriers, including tariffs and non-tariff obstacles, Mudavadi emphasized that doing so would mutually benefit both nations.
“I’m excited by this great opportunity to explore ways to strengthen the friendly relations between our two countries on economic, social, security and foreign relations,” Mudavadi said.
Free eTA for Ethiopians
Abiy’s visit also comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s decision to exempt Ethiopians from the USD30 fee paid by foreigners seeking Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter the country.
The State House talks also come at a time when Kenya has agreed to exempt Ethiopians from Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) fees.
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Bacha Debele Buta, expressed gratitude towards the decision, praising the administration of President Ruto for the move.
“My heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Government of Kenya for its prompt response and [the] kind decision to remove Ethiopian citizens from the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) related electronic payment requirement,” he stated on February 20.
The announcement came amid concerns over the new visa regime and its implications on the decades-long visa-free arrangement between Kenya and Ethiopia which allows citizens of both countries to travel without the requirement of procuring a visa.
President Ruto announced Kenya’s transition to a “visa-free” arrangement on December 12, 2023, with the eTA requirement, applicable to all foreigners alike, taking effect on January 1, 2024.
