President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday, December 9, expressed his frustrations before presidents who had attended the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States Conference the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC).
According to a statement shared to newsrooms, the head of state decried the status of trade agreements with the European Union, which he termed as skewed.
He was giving his speech as the incoming president of the ACP Group of States, an organisation whose 79 member countries had for a long time exported their goods to the European continent.
He also noted that the relationship between the organisation and the EU had not always favoured the member states and called for a review.
“For a long time, our relationship has been focused on sustainable development, poverty reduction, integration of the ACP in the global economy and access to development funding, especially from the EU.
"The key is to advance mutually beneficial and inclusive agreements that are agreeable and takes care of the interests of both parties. We need a scenario where everyone feels like a winner,” he stated.
“Our experience has so far been mixed. As the European Union continues to advocate and urge for change in the Economic Partnership Agreements with ACP member states, it is my hope that it will work with us to ensure that we secure additional development funding,” he continued.
Among the leaders Kenyatta played host to included President Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic, the Prime Minister of Eswatini, Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, and Vice President Bornito de Sousa of Angola. The president also held talks with European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen.
The session was ninth in the history of ACP summits, which commenced on Monday, December 9 and is slated to close on Tuesday, December 10.
The event brought together 18 heads of states as well as several ministers, EU representatives and other officials.
