NAIROBI, 26th May 2017, (PSCU)—President Uhuru Kenyatta this morning travelled to Taormina, Italy, for the 43rd G7 summit.
The plane carrying the President and his entourage departed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly before 7:00 am.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Chief of Defence Forces General Samson Mwathethe led senior government officials in seeing off the President.
President Kenyatta has been invited to the G7 summit to speak specifically on “the timeliness and challenges brought about by innovation as a factor of economic growth and development in Africa.”
The invitation of President Kenyatta to the G7 meeting is a testament to the leading role Kenya is playing in technological advancements in the continent and her growing influence on the global stage.
The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal bloc of industrialized 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. The theme of this year’s summit is ‘Building the foundations of renewed trust’.
Besides Kenya, other African countries invited to represent the interests of the continent at the 43rd G7 summit in Italy are Ethiopia, Tunisia and Nigeria.
President Kenyatta is expected to use the high-level profile event to showcase Kenya’s achievements over time and also show Africa’s interest in a way that is readily digestible on the global stage.
The Outreach Session, to which the President will be making a presentation, will bring value and content to future decisions of the G7 Summit on how to partner for innovation-driven growth in Africa.
To this end, participants will be encouraged to engage in a positive evidence based, frank and visionary discussion.
-PSCU
