Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Tuesday approved a new proposal that will see the Kenyan government hold meetings with Chinese counterparts every three months.
While addressing the Chinese Business Community in preparation for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Mudavadi, who serves as the Foreign Affairs CS, indicated that the meetings would help the two governments fill gaps and boost their associations in several sectors.
The proposals were first fronted by Foreign Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei after a road crash claimed the lives of three Chinese tourists and left a mother and her two children fighting for their lives in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
"We have demonstrated real proactivity in dealing with emerging challenges such as accidents and we will continue to work in the direction of strengthening our systems including our health systems to respond to these challenges," Sing'oei stated.
"It is for that reason that I had been proposed to you that on account of the very comprehensive proposals that have been placed before you and in light of the request for a forum for continuous communication, coordination, and consultation, maybe every 3 or 4 months, your excellency (Mudavadi) can convene a meeting that brings together all sectors of government and our colleagues from China so that we can have a conversation on how we can do things better."
The PS further noted that the regular engagements will help the two countries identify areas in which they are lagging behind and determine what approaches to exploit to enhance Kenya's competitiveness.
Chinese Ambassador Zhou Pingjian, who was in attendance, welcomed the proposals and that Kenyan locals for acting swiftly after the road crash to ensure that the survivors were rushed to the hospital.
"Our fellow countrymen told me that without the support, help, and assistance of the locals, the injured could not be transported to the hospital as quickly as possible," he explained.
In July, a group of Chinese tourists were involved in a road accident in Kajiado County, three of whom passed away after sustaining injuries.
At the time, Sing'oei and Pingjian visited the injured who were admitted to ICU. The Chinese envoy further noted that a day later, another crash occurred in Tanzania and the survivors were flown to Nairobi for treatment.
