During his official visit to Kenya, which officially commenced on Saturday, October 21, President William Ruto has sealed 11 significant agreements with his Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço.
Speaking at State House Nairobi, Ruto divulged that his administration had brokered deals spanning various crucial sectors, including wildlife conservation, mining business, youth development, forest conservation, agriculture, ICT, and cooperation in the oil and gas industry, among others.
Furthermore, these agreements encompassed areas such as health initiatives and the training of government administrators at their respective schools of government.
The signing of these important accords took place at State House following bilateral discussions between Ruto and President Lourenço. The talks occurred a day after President Lourenço, who was the invited chief guest, regrettably missed Kenya's Mashujaa Day celebrations due to unforeseen circumstances.
In the course of these discussions, Kenya also successfully secured an agreement to reinstate direct flights between the two nations. These flights had been suspended at the onset of the global pandemic.
In a reciprocal move, President Ruto announced that Kenya had waived visa requirements for citizens of Angola. However, it should be noted that Angola had not yet signed the same agreement.
President Lourenço expressed his intention to engage in discussions regarding this matter upon his return to Angola, assuring that a decision would be made in the coming days.
"In the matter of visas, reciprocity is a key consideration. We will carefully assess the possibility of reciprocating the visa waiver for ordinary passport holders.
"The signing can take place either here in Nairobi or in the city of Luanda," articulated the visiting President.
Moreover, President Lourenço extended an invitation to President Ruto for an official State Visit to Luanda.
In return, President Ruto voiced his endorsement for President Lourenço's candidature for the African Union chairmanship in 2026, underscoring Kenya's support for his leadership aspirations.