Kenya, South Korea to set up a joint economic committee

By Peter Ochieng

Kenya and South Korea have agreed to set up a joint economic committee, in what is expected to strengthen ties between the two nations, on diplomatic, trade and business fronts.

The agreement to set up the committee has been reached between President William Ruto, and his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol.

According to a dispatch from State House, Nairobi, It will fast-track the areas of cooperation agreed on during President Ruto’s visit to South Korea last year.

"They are the Konza Digital City, the Nairobi Intelligent Transport Project and a capacity building programme in vaccine production in Nairobi."

The two leaders spoke on phone earlier on Thursday, on the sidelines of the ongoing National Executive Retreat in South C, Nairobi.

Ruto and Yoon agreed that the two countries will co-host the Third Summit of Democracy for the Future in Nairobi, in March 2024.

They also discussed the forthcoming Korea-Africa Summit to be held in June next year, which President Ruto confirmed Kenya’s attendance.

On South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 Expo, a global fair whose theme is “Transforming Our World, Navigating Towards A Better Future," Kenya committed to work with South Korea and others for the success of the event.

President Ruto is currently leading members of his executive in a two-day retreat to discus the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), being spearheaded by the Kenya Kwanza administration.

The retreat started on Thursday morning, at the Edge Convention Centre in South C, Nairobi.

"Evaluation and consultation are essential to the success of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda. The quest for new ideas, approaches and constant improvement will enrich our governance and elevate our delivery of the commitments we made to the people of Kenya," said the president.