Kenya and Belarus presidents reaffirmed their commitment to fortify their ties during discussions held in Nairobi on Monday, as confirmed by the Kenyan presidency.
The meeting followed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s recent tour across Africa, including a visit to Equatorial Guinea, aiming to strengthen connections across the continent. Kenyan President William Ruto shared on X, previously known as Twitter, that Lukashenko was hosted at Nairobi’s State House.
Both leaders concurred on the need to expand collaboration into areas such as renewable energy, trade, investment, and education, stated Ruto. He emphasized the ample opportunities existing between Kenya and Belarus that should be harnessed for the mutual prosperity of both nations, expressing Kenya’s interest in leveraging Belarus’ agricultural technology.
Belarus has encountered international sanctions due to its unwavering support for Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Ukraine conflict and its suppression of internal dissent.
The country heavily relies on Russia for political and financial support and served as a base for Moscow’s actions in Ukraine in February 2022.
Notably, despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, neither Kenya nor Belarus referenced Russia’s actions in their statements regarding the visit.
Amid the conflict, both Moscow and Kyiv have sought African nations’ support for their respective causes. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made an unexpected visit to Kenya in May, following an African tour by his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba.
The Belarusian presidency recently highlighted Lukashenko’s visit as a means to “intensify interaction in all areas of mutual benefit” and further establish “close ties” between Minsk and African nations.
Referred to widely as “the last dictator of Europe,” Lukashenko embarked on his first-ever trip to a sub-Saharan African nation earlier this year by visiting Zimbabwe. During his Equatorial Guinea visit, agreements were reached, including the establishment of a regional center aimed at promoting Belarusian products in central and west African markets.