Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad, met on Monday in Nairobi with Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Minister of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and coordination on key regional issues.
During the meeting, Abdelatty praised the deep-rooted historical ties between Egypt and Kenya, emphasizing Egypt’s commitment to intensifying consultation and coordination within the framework of the strategic partnership established between the two countries in January 2025. He stressed the importance of thorough preparations for the eighth session of the Egypt–Kenya Joint Committee, scheduled to be hosted by Egypt later this year, as a mechanism to advance cooperation across multiple sectors.
The Egyptian foreign minister underlined the need to expand mutual investments in priority sectors including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, energy, construction, and information technology, with the aim of increasing bilateral trade volumes. He highlighted the importance of enabling Egyptian companies to benefit from investment opportunities in the Kenyan market, noting their accumulated expertise in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industry, and pharmaceuticals, which could contribute to Kenya’s development goals.
Abdelatty also expressed Egypt’s interest in enhancing cooperation in water resource management and invited Kenya to benefit from Egypt’s financing mechanism for development projects in the southern Nile Basin, particularly in support of dam construction projects. In addition, the two sides explored prospects for cooperation in maritime transport, the blue economy, and the sustainable exploitation of natural and mineral resources within exclusive economic zones. Abdelatty proposed studying the establishment of a joint maritime shipping line linking Egyptian Red Sea ports with Kenyan ports on the Indian Ocean.
On water security, Abdelatty stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation and integration among Nile Basin countries to achieve mutual benefit and shared interests. He emphasized adherence to consensus, solidarity, and international law, rejecting unilateral actions and welcoming ongoing consultative efforts aimed at restoring inclusivity within the Nile Basin Initiative.
For his part, Mudavadi affirmed Kenya’s appreciation for dialogue and cooperation in pursuit of shared interests among Nile Basin states, commending Egypt’s constructive and dialogue-oriented stance during recent consultative mechanism meetings, including the ministerial meeting held in Burundi.
The two ministers also exchanged views on regional peace and security in Africa, particularly in the Great Lakes region. Abdelatty highlighted the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach that links peacebuilding, stability, and sustainable development. Both sides agreed on supporting sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity in Somalia and Sudan, and on reinforcing efforts to promote stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
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