Seychelles, Kenya agree to enhance ties in trade, tourism, security

During discussion in Kenya, President Faure and President Kenyatta entered into a wide-reaching agreement to enhance ties in trade and security. (State House) 

(Seychelles News Agency) - During a historic visit to Kenya, Seychelles' President Danny Faure and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta entered into a wide-reaching agreement to enhance ties in trade and security, reports in the Kenyan media said.

President Faure left Seychelles on Sunday on his first state visit since he took office in October last year following the resignation of former President James Michel.

According to the Standard newspaper in Kenya, the agreement was the culmination of bilateral discussions between the two heads of state at the State House in Nairobi on Monday.

The agreement will see Kenya export more human capital -- such as teachers --  and agricultural products to Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean.

The bilateral agreement will allow for more Kenyan teachers to join the education sector. (Joena Bonnelame, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

President Faure said it makes more economic sense for Seychelles to import beef and poultry from Kenya instead of countries like Brazil, the Standard reported.

In the maritime sector, Seychelles has expressed its support to Kenya in developing its fishing industry, where President Kenyatta said little attention has been paid to since its independence. Seychelles will also support Kenya to develop the capacity of the port of Mombasa to act as a fish trans-shipment port.

The two Presidents also agreed for the two countries to cooperate in tourism development by partnering the agencies managing the sectors.

Seychelles has expressed its support to Kenya in developing its fishing industry. (Gerard Larose) Photo License: CC-BY

Kenyatta said, “Kenya and Seychelles each have tourism products they are famous for and it will make economic sense if they partnered to promote each other.”

While Seychelles is well-known for its beaches, Kenya is known for its safari tourism, Kenyatta noted.

On his part, Faure said he has reached a deal with the Kenyan President for the two countries to put a framework for a two-centre destination where the two countries will work jointly to promote their tourism products.

In the education sector, Faure said “Seychelles wants to employ Kenyan teachers to join other Kenyans working in other sectors in the island nation.”

As part of the efforts to enhance the close cooperation between the two nations, Kenya Airways will also increase its flights to Seychelles.

Kenyatta said, “It is both our ambitions and intention to ensure that we do everything that we can to deepen regional trade investment and to grow our regional economies by working together.”

Seychelles will explore the possibility of sourcing its agricultural products from Kenya. (Gerard Larose) Photo License: CC-BY

There is already a sizeable Kenyan diaspora in Seychelles and the Seychellois have long ties with Kenya. What the two presidents agreed now is to improve ties between the two governments.

Faure has given his commitment to work with Kenya to develop its blue economy and to improve the security of its Exclusive Economic Zone.

“What your president is doing here he has been putting in place a development agenda to meet the new challenges of the Kenyan people,” Faure told reporters in Kenya.

He added that: “It has not been easy for him but what is important is that he has remained focused on developing your country so that the people can reap the benefits of his new pragmatic way of dealing with the problems of Kenya.”

“It is an era where we need more transformational leadership that can translate the freedom of our people into shared prosperity,” he said

President Faure’s State visit to Kenya ends on Tuesday.