Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley bids farewell to President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, at the Grantley Adams International Airport. (PMO)
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is firmly of the view that substantive business activity and trade can come to the people of Barbados and Kenya in the future.
Ms. Mottley expressed this view on Sunday, shortly before President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, and his delegation boarded their flight, after being in Barbados from Tuesday last week.
The Prime Minister underscored the importance of strengthening relations at this time. “We are now at the stage where we have to be able to diversify our markets, not just our tourism market, but those markets with whom we trade and with whom we invest and we believe that this is the excellent platform for us to do so.
“The fact that the President was able to bring a multifaceted delegation here, ranging from energy to financial services to travel to logistics to a whole host of things that are critical if we are going to put together the opportunities for our people to be able to trade and to earn, then I believe that that augurs well for the future. So, this is a process, you are not going to see things happen all at once,” she stated.
In addition to working on the substantive areas for trade investment, Ms. Mottley noted that both countries would continue to work on key issues internationally, including debt and climate.
President Kenyatta thanked Prime Minister Mottley for being a pioneer in reestablishing historical links between the Caribbean and the African continent.
“I feel very excited about the prospects that exist for really strengthening and rebuilding the relationship between the African continent and her diaspora.… After listening to members of my delegation who have engaged with various potential partners here in Barbados, the opportunity for really rebuilding our relationship is great,” he surmised.
The President pledged to continue working with Prime Minister Mottley to strengthen bonds and partnerships so “genuine prosperity” could be created for the people, and strengthen their voice in the international community as people of African descent.
