Kenya waives visa requirement for Angola nationals

President William Ruto Saturday moved to cement Kenya's ties with Angola by waiving visa requirements for citizens of the southern African country.

Kenya and Angola will also strengthen cooperation in agriculture and other key sectors of the economy, according to the Head of State.

President Ruto was speaking at State House in Nairobi during a state visit by Angolan President João Lourenco. 

The Angolan leader was to be the chief guest at Friday's Mashujaa Day celebrations but was represented at the event by Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tete. 

“President Lourenço and I agree on the need to ensure the improvement of people-to-people interaction as well as trade and investment between Kenya and Angola. Consequently, Kenya has waived visa requirements for all nationals of Angola with immediate effect,” said President Ruto.

However, the Angolan government did not immediately reciprocate by announcing that Kenyans visiting the country would not need visas.

President Ruto, instead, revealed that during their meeting, President Lourenco assured him that they would discuss the issue back home before making their position known.

The two leaders also witnessed the signing of 11 bilateral Memoranda of Understanding that will reaffirm the cordial relations between Kenya and Angola and deepen the bonds of friendship between the two nations.

In agriculture, the backbone of Kenya's economy, Kenyan farmers will work with their Angolan counterparts to grow food for the citizens of both countries. 

“In Kenya, we do not have much land which is arable and endowed like in Angola. There is a request for Kenyan farmers to work with their Angolan counterparts, especially in areas of growing food for people of both nations and the entire continent. There is a big opportunity for collaboration,” added President Ruto.

The bilateral agreements covered management and conservation, shipping and maritime cooperation, youth development, forestry cooperation and bilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector.

Other MoUs covered telecommunications and ICT, oil and gas, mining and geology, health cooperation, capacity building in the civil service and cooperation in the respective diplomatic academies. 

“As part of this cooperation, we have also directed our respective ministers responsible for Transport to expedite and conclude discussions on the resumption of direct flights between Kenya and Angola,” said President Ruto.

President Lourenco also visited Parliament where he laid a wreath at the mausoleum of founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. This was the first time a president from the southern African nation had visited Kenya since independence, although Kenya played a crucial role in Angola's journey to independence from the Portuguese in 1975.

During the visit, the two leaders expressed concern about the conflicts in Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

On Sudan, they urged the warring parties to immediately cease fighting and engage in a peaceful democratic transition through an inclusive political process.

President Ruto assured his guest that Kenya will support Angola's bid to chair the African Union in 2025, based on Angola's endorsement by SADC.

The two nations also reaffirmed their commitment to the decisions taken at the African Climate Summit hosted by Kenya last month and agreed to work together through the African Union and the United Nations ahead of COP28 in Dubai starting next month.