Kenya sees promising opportunities to expand ties with Cuba

Kenya and Cuba have promising opportunities to expand and diversify their relations in various sectors of mutual benefit, according to their new ambassador, Everlyne Mwenda Karisa.

Among the sectors, she mentioned health, education, sports, agriculture, culture, trade, tourism, and scientific research.

The diplomat proposed creating scholarship programs, along with other initiatives, that can facilitate professional and student exchanges, particularly in medicine, biotechnology, and technology.

She added that the two countries can also collaborate on agriculture by sharing sustainable farming techniques to ensure food security, and promote cultural diplomacy through food, art, music, and dance.

Another area that the ambassador suggested is tourism. With joint initiatives, they can attract visitors and showcase the natural beauty of Kenya, and cultural and historical sites in Cuba, as well as exchange experiences in best practices for tourism marketing.

Mwenda also proposed exploring new commercial agreements for product and service exchanges. Kenya could export tea, coffee, and other goods to Cuba, and could import biotechnological and pharmacological products from the Caribbean nation.

She even suggested that, since Nairobi has a strategic location as an important railway, air, and port hub on the African continent, it could host a center to distribute Cuban vaccines and novel medicines from their biotechnology industry.

Kenyans, she continued, are excellent athletes, especially at medium and long distances, while Cubans excel at other sports such as boxing and wrestling. That's why there is a strong reason to expand sports collaboration, the ambassador believes.

In the political arena, Mwenda spoke about strengthening ties through diplomatic engagement to enhance cooperation on global issues such as sustainable development, human rights, and international security.

To further expand and elevate relations, the ambassador recommended increasing high-level visits and diplomatic dialogues to promote mutual understanding and explore areas for collaboration.

The head of mission assured that Kenya would always stand by Cuba in its struggle to lift the economic, commercial, and financial blockades imposed by the United States for more than 60 years.

Kenya and Cuba established diplomatic relations in December 1995 and signed a first collaboration agreement in February 2002, which fostered professional exchanges. In 2001, Nairobi and Havana signed another collaboration agreement that allowed dozens of Kenyan youth to study at universities in Cuba, especially in medicine, and for Cuban doctors to work in Kenya.