Speaker Wetang'ula holds talks with Egyptian ambassador

By Peter Ochieng

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula on Wednesday hosted Egyptian Ambassador to Kenya, Wael Nasreldin Attiya, with irrigation being among the issues discussed.

The meeting was held at the Speaker's office in Nairobi.

He urged the Egyptian ambassador to ensure Kenya gets a chance to harness agricultural techniques, pioneerd by Egypt.

"I appealed the Ambassador to spearhead initiatives that would enable Kenya to harness the agricultural techniques pioneered by Egypt, which hold the promise of not only augmenting food production but also reclaiming the arid and semi-arid zones within our nation," he said.

Similarly, the deliberations were centered on trade and investment, as well improving bilateral relations between Kenya and Egypt.

"The ambassador conveyed Egypt's unwavering dedication to bolstering the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfFTA), with the noble aspiration of expediting commercial interactions amongst African states," added Wetang'ula.

They agreed that Kenyan and Egyptian parliaments have a role to play in fostering collaboration, between the two countries.

"A consensus was reached that the parliaments of both our countries should embark on a concerted engagement aimed at facilitating a rich exchange of programs and ideas for our mutual benefit."

Egypt's economy mainly depends on agriculture, petroleum exports, natural gas and tourism.

Arable land is majorly found along River Nile, which provides water for irrigation.