Jokowi Wants Cooperation With Kenya To Be Strengthened, Investment Increases

President Joko Widodo paid an honorary visit to Kenyan President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, Monday (21/8/2023). BETWEEN/HO-Biro Press, Media, and Information from the Presidential Secretariat.

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) visit to Kenya resulted in a number of concrete cooperation in the economic sector.

In a meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, President Jokowi discussed an increase in trade between the two countries, which reached 507 million US dollars (around Rp7.8 trillion) in 2022.

Jokowi said bilateral trade needs to be expanded by exploring various other opportunities. "Indonesia can be the entrance to Kenya, to ASEAN, and Kenya can be the entrance to Indonesia to Sub-Saharan Africa. For that, I encourage the establishment of preferential trade agreements, as soon as possible," Jokowi said when delivering a press statement with President Kenya which was broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube as reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 21.

President Jokowi said Indonesia wanted to increase investment in Kenya, especially in the energy sector, so he asked for support so that PT Pertamina (Persero) investment with the Kenya Geothermal Development Company company worth US $ 1.5 billion (nearly Rp23 trillion) and Guma Group could be realized immediately.

Jokowi hopes that the cooperation can be expanded in the field of new and renewable energy and emphasized the importance of forming a bilateral investment agreement between the two countries.

The President noted the cooperation between the drug and food control agency of the two countries as well as between Biofarma and Biofac and Generics Africa Ltd regarding vaccines and pharmaceutical products.

"I have also conveyed Indonesia's commitment through Indonesian Aid to Kenya in the fields of health, food security, disaster management. And in the future this will continue to be improved, especially for sectors that are Kenya's priority," said Jokowi.

Kenya became the first country in Africa visited by President Jokowi on its first working visit to the continent. After Kenya, President Jokowi is scheduled to visit Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa.