Netherland royals set to begin four-day state visit in Kenya
The trip is expected to promote Agriculture in Kenya and Water management paving way for a long-term economic development between the two countries.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands are expected to begin their four-day state visit to Kenya today.
The royals were expected to be received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) this morning by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
Accompanied by a delegation of Dutch ministers, the King and Queen are expected to explore investment opportunities between Kenya and Netherlands.
In a communiqué, the Kingdom of Netherlands said the delegation comprises companies specializing in agriculture, horticulture, irrigation, water infrastructure, and sustainable financing.
“This four-day business mission (March 17-20) aligns with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ commitment to enhancing trade relations, strengthening food security, and advancing sustainable water solutions,” the communiqué stated in part.
The trip is expected to promote Agriculture in Kenya and Water management paving way for a long-term economic development between the two countries.
The Embassy of Netherlands in Kenya is set to hold a seminar today in line of achieving an effective mission.
The Seminar will focus on investment opportunities, Public-private partnerships, and innovative solutions to enhance food production.
The visit by the Dutch royals, which has faced a lot of opposition from Kenyans, comes after Kenyans online sent emails to the Dutch government telling them to cancel their visit due to abductions.
Kenyans cited human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and abduction of government critics as well as activists from neighbouring countries.
The Dutch public broadcasting organisation, Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, together with the Netherlands Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed receipt of the emails by Kenyans as they reiterated that the visit would still be on and provide an opportunity for the royals to discuss the issues raised with President William Ruto.
They added that the visit was upon an invitation by President William Ruto and it represents a watershed for Netherlands and Kenya’s relationship.
Over the Weekend, the human rights advocacy group, Amnesty International, urged the Dutch royals to focus their visit on the human rights atrocities that have plunged Kenya in the past few months.
The request by Amnesty was a last-ditch effort after calls to stop the visit did not bear fruit.
“Amnesty International calls on both authorities to place human rights at the heart of the visit, address human rights violations, and commit to accountability for all victims following the recent brutal crackdown on human rights,” the human rights advocates stated.
They urged the two parties to commit to accountability for all victims following the recent brutal crackdown.
