President Uhuru Kenyatta Friday morning welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to State House, Nairobi, with an elaborate state reception rounded off by a 19-gun salute.
The Japanese Prime Minister is in the country to attend the 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development being held in Nairobi.
Both leaders assured that the first TICAD summit outside Tokyo will be a success.
TICAD was launched by the Japanese government in 1993, with the previous five related events held in Japan aimed at planning means to offer infrastructural development based on superlative quality that taps into the country’s technology.
Abe who is accompanied by delegates from 75 companies from Japan emphasised on partnership with Kenyan investors as well as the Kenyan government.
He also thanked Kenyans for hosting him in 2001 when he was part of the delegation that accompanied former PM Yoshiro Mori for a three-day state visit.
The Japanese PM, who together with President Uhuru will officially open the TICAD V1 event, began his visit to Kenya by laying a wreath at the mausoleum of the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and thereafter proceeded to State House.
“This will be a great opportunity for our country as we expect an opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow Africans and with the larger globe on development, industrialisation and investment matters,” Uhuru said.
“Today is a special day because the first visit i came to Kenya i had accompanied former PM Mori ,” he said amid laughter.
Abe arrived at State House accompanied by his wife Akie Abe shortly after 9:00 am.
The conference is planned to feature high-level policy dialogue between Japan and African leaders which will cover issues of economic development and investment, as well as those of trade and sustainable development.
