President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday met US President Donald Trump in Taormina, Italy ahead of the G7 Summit that brings together leaders of the world’s most industrialised countries.
This is the first time President Kenyatta and the US President are meeting.
[caption caption="Uhuru Kenyatta and US President Donald Trump in Taormina, Italy"]
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President Kenyatta, along with First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, flew to Sigonella Airbase in Sicily and then by helicopter to Taormina, a seaside resort heavily protected ahead of the summit.
Uhuru was chauffeured to the resort under tight security.
The President is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni this evening, attend a concert and dinner, ahead of a speech to the gathering tomorrow on “the timeliness and challenges brought about by innovation as a factor of economic growth and development in Africa.”
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta and US President Donald Trump"]
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The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal bloc of industrialised democracies (the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom) that meets annually to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security, and energy policy. Italy currently holds the rotating G7 Presidency.
G7 leaders are Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, newly elected President Emmanuel Macron of France, US President Donald Trump and host Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.
Besides Kenya, other African countries invited to represent the interests of the continent at the summit are Ethiopia, Tunisia and Nigeria.
[caption caption="US President Donald Trump shakes hands with First Lady Margaret Kenyatta"]
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The theme of this year’s summit is 'Building the foundations of renewed trust'.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta shakes hands with newly elected President Emmanuel Macron of France"]
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[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta joins other leaders for the G7 concert performed by the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra"]
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Here is a video of Uhuru arriving for the G7 meeting and being chauffeured under tight security:
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