Kenya And China Sign Six Trade Agreements

Kenya and China have signed six trade agreements and agreed to collaborate towards reducing the trade imbalance between the two countries.

The agreement was signed between Foreign Affairs CS Raychelle Omamo and Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi.

“The six trade agreements signed on Thursday between Kenya and China will improve trade and deepen relations and collaboration between our two countries,” said the CS.

Kenya and China have agreed to collaborate on ICT to boost the digital economy in Kenya, continue in the development of regional transport for an economic hub on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and create a market of Kenyan agricultural products.

At the same time, Kenya is seeking to export avocado and aquatic products while China intends to continue donating rice to the East African country to assist in humanitarian aid.

There have been concerns among African nations that China is massively lending to them to trap them and later “colonize” them by taking over their key investment points such as ports and airports.

There are reports that in Kenya, the Port of Mombasa was used as collateral for the loan China gave the country for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). Already, China is threatening to take over Entebbe Airport in Uganda over a loan.

But China has refuted the claims. “This so-called debt trap is not a fact, it is speculation being played out by some with ulterior motives. This is a narrative trap created by those who don’t want to see developments in Africa. If there is any trap it is about poverty and underdevelopment.”