President thanks Kenya for maintaining friendship with Barbados

President Her Excellency The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason has hailed the relationship between Barbados and Kenya.

She spoke highly of the links between the two countries when she paid a courtesy call on her Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta, during her five-day official trip to the East African nation.

With President Kenyatta’s term in office constitutionally ending in August, Dame Sandra thanked him for his “abiding friendship” with Barbados and expressed her wish that his advocacy on behalf of developing countries would continue well past his career in active politics.

She lauded Kenyatta as a steward of the Pan-African legacy of his father, the late Jomo Kenyatta, and described his term in office as “refreshing” to the Caribbean, due in large part to his embrace of the region as a part of Africa, and his support of small island state issues.

Dame Sandra also praised the work of Prime Minister Mia Mottley and President Kenyatta in enhancing the relationship between the two countries, especially in the areas of air connectivity, trade, culture and people exchange initiatives.

During the Barbadian President’s visit to State House, the official residence of Kenya’s president, a wide range of topics were discussed, including an air link between Barbados and Kenya. Dame Sandra said it was well past time for the African diaspora to be closely connected – a view supported by President Kenyatta.

For his part, President Kenyatta expressed his pride at hosting the first President of Barbados, as he congratulated the island for reigniting a republican movement within the diaspora through Dame Sandra’s appointment.

The two presidents concluded their call by reflecting on the respective strengths of their countries, and the opportunities to explore synergies in agriculture, manufacturing and green energy, given Barbados’ strengths as a financial and investment hub in the Caribbean. (BT/BGIS)