Chinese envoy to the Horn of Africa expected in Nairobi for talks with Kenyatta, MFA officials » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 16 — China’s newly appointed envoy to the Horn of Africa, Xue Bing, is set to arrive in Nairobi later this week to begin his inaugural visit to the region.

Xue will hold talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta on March 21 and also meet Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amb. Raychelle Omamo.

Prior to his engagement with the Head of State, Xue will meet Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Amb Macharia Kamau on Friday, March 18.

The meeting with Amb. Kamau will be centered on peace and security in the region.

“The Special Envoy will also meet the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Amb. Macharia Kamau, on Friday 18th March and thereafter engage and consult other stakeholders and practitioners of Peace and security,” MFA said in a statement detailing Xue’s planned engagements.

Xue’s appointment followed an undertaking by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a working visit in Mombasa in January.

The Foreign Minister announced at the time that Beijing would appoint a Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, “whose suggested brief includes seeking to understand the region better and work jointly with Horn countries to convene and deliberate on the nexus between peace, stability and development,” MFA recalled.

Prior to his appointment as Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, Xue previously served at the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Embassy of China in Fiji, Embassy of China in New Zealand, Consulate General of China in Los Angeles, Embassy of China in Kenya and Embassy of China in Australia.

From 2014 to 2016, he was the Consul-General of China in Toronto. He was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea from 2016 to 2021.

Kenya’s Foreign Office said Xue’s visit will “build on existing initiatives and efforts towards finding solutions to the challenges facing the region including conflict and displacements and climate variances that need humanitarian assistance.”