The Danish Foreign Minister travels to Kenya

On Monday, the Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has traveled to Kenya to, among other things, meet with the country’s president and foreign minister.

“The Danish government aims to establish stronger and more equitable partnerships with the countries in Africa. This is a key element of the new foreign and security policy strategy presented in May. This ambition serves as the backdrop for the Foreign Minister’s trip to Kenya, taking place on August 21-22. The journey follows Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s visit to China last week.

During the visit, the Foreign Minister will launch the new phase of the peace and stabilization program on the Horn of Africa, with a budget of nearly 300 million DKK over the next three years. The support will be directed towards enhancing maritime security, combating organized crime, and addressing irregular migration.

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen states:

“Kenya is a driving force for development in the entire East Africa and hence an important foreign policy partner for Denmark and Europe. This is my first trip to the African continent as Foreign Minister, but certainly not the last. We need to strengthen our partnerships with Kenya and other key actors in Africa if we want to address common challenges such as climate, food security, and irregular migration. If we don’t step up, others will.

Just a few days ago, I was in China, which is Kenya’s dominant trading partner. Among other things, China has built a railway between Mombasa and Nairobi that has halved travel time. Europe needs to step up its game. We must better understand what African countries demand and offer relevant solutions to strengthen our partnerships throughout the continent. It requires more dialogue with African governments and listening to their desires and concerns.”

The first stop of the visit is the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, where the Foreign Minister will meet with Kenya’s president and foreign minister. The agenda includes Danish-Kenyan relations, regional security, and the implications of the war in Ukraine for African countries.

The Foreign Minister will also visit the Kenyan port city of Mombasa, where Lars Løkke Rasmussen will meet with the Governor of Mombasa and hold discussions with Maersk and local port authorities. The port of Mombasa is the largest in all of East Africa, and Maersk accounts for nearly half of the container traffic at the port.”