Finance
The Hon’ble Vice President of India and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan today held a warm and substantive meeting with the Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Moses M. Wetang’ula, EGH, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, who is leading a Parliamentary Delegation from Kenya on a bilateral visit to India.
During the meeting, the Vice-President highlighted the close parliamentary ties between India and Kenya and expressed India’s readiness to share its experience in technology solutions and digital technology, including the use of digital technology leading towards a paperless Parliament. He noted the presence of an Indian-origin Member of Parliament in Kenya’s Parliamentary Friendship Group and recalled with appreciation the proposal to install a bust of Mahatma Gandhi within the premises of the National Assembly of Kenya.
The Vice-President recalled that Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had visited Kenya in 2016, followed by the visit of Hon’ble President Ruto to India in 2023.
Referring to India’s development partnership with Kenya, the Vice-President noted that several projects had been executed in the form of grant-in-aid, including the refurbishment of the Mahatma Gandhi Graduate Library of the University of Nairobi and the CT scan infrastructure at the Kenyan Navy Base, Mtongwe. He also recalled India’s assistance during the Ebola Virus Outbreak, when India delivered the first tranche of 4.5 tonnes of medical supplies.
The Vice-President highlighted India’s continued support for capacity building in Kenya. He stated that the Government of India offers around 400 scholarships, including training courses for various Government Ministries. He further noted that 20 diplomats from Kenya are undergoing capacity development in India. He informed that ICCR scholarships for long-term courses have been increased from 80 to 100 annually.
The Vice-President also highlighted the Agreement on the Digi-Locker pilot project in Kenya, which was signed during the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. He further noted that Indian and Kenyan teams are working on the GATI Shakti project for Kenya.
The Vice-President thanked Kenya for supporting India’s candidature for the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the term 2028–29. He sought Kenya’s support for India’s permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council.
Emphasising the historical ties between the two countries, the Vice-President noted that India and the Swahili coast had well-established trading routes for benefit of each other. He also expressed India’s hope that Kenya would join the International Solar Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance.
The Vice President also highlighted the centuries-old people-to-people ties between India and Kenya and said that he was delighted to note that the Indian diaspora had been recognised as the 44th tribe of Kenya.
Concluding the meeting, the Vice President thanked the Kenyan Parliamentary Delegation for visiting India and conveyed his best wishes for a pleasant and productive stay. He expressed confidence that the visit would further deepen parliamentary engagement and contribute to strengthening the comprehensive partnership between India and Kenya.
Source: PIB
