Kenya Invites Bulgarian Businesses, Awaits High-Tech Investment
21 September 2018 News
The top diplomats of Bulgaria and Kenya agreed to organise a joint business forum, work together to boost investment by Bulgarian IT companies, and resume the training of Kenyan students in Bulgaria.
The Foreign Ministers, Ekaterina Zaharieva and Monica Juma, had talks in Montreal within the framework of the First World Meeting of Female Foreign Ministers.
‘We have excellent relations but trade and tourism are lagging behind’. Bulgaria has been a Member State of the European Union for 11 years already, our businesses are strong and they continually seek new partners, including in Africa, Minister Zaharieva said. She went on to highlight the areas in which Bulgarian companies may invest in Kenya — the high-tech sector, food manufacturing, energy generation and the pharmaceutical sector.
‘Our government places special importance on start-ups and innovation. We would like to explore the possibilities of training IT specialists in Bulgaria. Kenya has a market with a total of 45 million consumers and can be used as a gateway to the entire region, Minister Juma said’.
‘We regard Bulgaria as a close friend’, the top Kenyan diplomat added.
Ekaterina Zaharieva called for reinstating the training programmes for overseas students in Bulgaria. Approximately 100 Kenyan citizens who are graduates of a handful of Bulgarian universities are currently holding senior positions in the Kenyan civil service.
The two Ministers further discussed the need for updating the foundation of bilateral treaties in place as well as the forthcoming negotiations for a new 20-year agreement between the EU and African, Pacific and Caribbean Countries, along with the leading role of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the necessary actions to be taken to combat climate change.
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Kenya were first established in 1964. Kenya has a territory of 580 367 sq. km. and has very good infrastructure compared to most countries on the African continent as it does not comprise any deserts that would be a barrier to transport. The country is the largest producer of flowers in the world, a leading producer of tea and coffee, and a preferred tourist destination.
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