The Germany delegation led by its Ambassador to Kenya Mr. Sebastian Growth this afternoon paid a courtesy call to the Speaker of the National Assembly the Rt. Hon. (Sen.) Moses Masika Wetang’ula.
Ambassador Sebastian said that there is need to have the two countries partnering in trade, education, tourism, agriculture, security matters and other areas.
Tracing the Kenya – Germany relations he called for the two countries to enhance cooperation in bid to build great partnerships and economic friendship to bolster good ties.
Speaking after paying courtesy call to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Germany delegation informed the Speaker of their mission to visit various counties including; Nakuru, Kisumu and Narok among others where they intend to find areas in which the two countries can partner.
‘Although Kenya and Germany have enjoyed warm and cordial relations, there is need to establish a Strategic Bilateral Framework to strengthen and reap the full benefits of the bilateral relations,’ said Hon Wetang’ula.
Speaker Wetangula noted that as a former Foreign Affairs minister, he spearheaded bilateral engagements of parliaments to parliaments since parliaments play key roles in ensuring countries come up with legislations and policies that are designed and shaped by executive for the good of countries good partnership.
Hon. Wetang’ula observed that Germany was the first country to recognize Kenya after attaining independence and to establish a diplomatic Mission in Nairobi in 1963.
“As a country we have gone through a lot of challenges that some have generated from the political instabilities and turbulences but we have managed to soldier on and demonstrate the East African spirit of resilience as manifested in the just concluded hotly contested but peaceful general elections, “said Hon. Wetang’ula.
Speaker Wetang’ula noted that there was need to explore the tourism sector that has many clients from Germany who frequent the Maasai Mara and other tourist attraction sites across the country.
The German delegation expressed interest in empowering Kenyan youths with life skills helps address the unemployment rates in the country.
‘In the last ten years we have built a lot of technical training institutes and vocational centers we are now paying a lot of attention to post high school training other than universities to have skills development so that our youths can have skills to help themselves become self-reliance,’ he said.
The Speaker welcomed the youth empowerment programme idea adding that the new government is focusing on credit for youths who can begin their own businesses through the hustler funds that is about to be brought to Parliament in the supplementary budget for deliberation and consideration by the August House.
‘’Kenya is Germany’s most important trading partner in East Africa while Germany ranks top ten of Kenya’s export destinations. It is Kenya’s most important coffee destination for green/raw coffee globally,’’ he said.
The Chairperson of the women Parliamentary Friendship group, Ms. Kordula Schulz noted that Kenya had made great strides in women parliamentary leadership in both elective and nominated positions.
She indicated that their Parliamentary group would like to further engage with their counterparts in Kenya to foster associations and learn from each other for democratic gain.
The Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Hon. Gladys Shollei while engaging the delegation said that there had been numerous complains across the country over the importation of toxic pesticide imported Germany from that has flooded the Kenyan market.
‘I will be raising this matter in Parliament since this pesticides have been banned in Europe, Germany and America yet they are being utilized in Kenya,’ she said.
She said that apart from the two hundred sixty-seven toxic pesticides in the Country, there are six thousand other pesticides manufactured in Germany which are suitable for use.
The Germany Ambassador to Kenya Mr. Sebastian Growth was accompanied by Members of Parliament drawn from various political parties from Germany. They included Kordula Schulz, Erwin Ruddel, Manfred Todtenhausen, Steffen Janich and Cornelia Mohring.
Others present were Franca Wolf who works in the administration of Germany Parliament, Kate Adams who was the interpreter and Julia Teyseen a political counsellor at German Embassy.
