Cabinet okays agreements positioning Kenya as a diplomatic hub

Efforts to position Kenya as a diplomatic hub Thursday got a major boost following the approval of several host country agreements.

Four leading international organizations will open their offices in the capital city of Nairobi which hosts the UNEP headquarters.

The four are International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), African Audiovisual and Cinema Commission (AACC), MasterCard and the Rockefeller Foundations.

“To cement the place of Kenya as a diplomatic hub and as a host to leading international bodies/organizations, Cabinet considered and approved the following host country agreements;  hosting of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Regional Office for East and Southern Africa in Nairobi; hosting of the Temporary Secretariat of the African Audiovisual and Cinema Commission (AACC) hosting of the MasterCard Foundation Country Office in Nairobi, Kenya; and host Country Agreement Between the Government of Kenya and the Rockefeller Foundation” read the dispatch.

At the same time to further secure Kenya’s overall competitiveness globally, the cabinet in a meeting held on Thursday, considered and approved 18 treaties and conventions.

TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS APPROVED

• The Accession to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property;
• The Ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury;
• Agreement between the Government of Republic of Kenya and the Government of the United States of America on Employment of Dependents of Official Employees;
• The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on Defence Co-operation;
• The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt on Defence Co-operation;
• The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Government of the Republic of Malawi on Defence Co-operation;
• The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Swiss Federal Council of Defence Cooperation in Training on Peace Support Operations;
• The Agreement of Defence Co-operation between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo;
• The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Government of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Defence Co-operation;
• The Modification of the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of Republic of Kenya and the Government of the United States of America on Business, Tourist and Student Visa Regime;
• Ratification of Protocols Relating to Article 50(A) and 56 of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation;
• The Framework Agreement on Cooperation and the Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis;
• Ratification of African Union Treaty for the Establishment of the African Medicines Agency (AMA);
• Kenya’s Ratification of the African Union Convention on Cross Border Cooperation (NIAMEY Convention);
• Ratification of Bilateral Air Services Agreement Between Kenya and Austria; Kenya and Barbados; and Kenya and Tanzania;
• Framework Agreement on the Development of Sustainable Green Industries in the Republic of Kenya between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and Fortescue Future Industries PTY Limited (Australia);
• Ratification of Bilateral Air Services Agreements between Kenya and Czech Republic; Cyprus; Chile; Belize; and Suriname; and
• The Agreement Between the Government of the Republic of Kenya and the Government of the Republic of France on Defence Co-operation