President Mwai Kibaki has called on the Government of South Korea to invest in the multi-billion Lamu Port and the Lamu-South Sudan-EthiopiaTransport corridor (LAPSSET).

The Lamu Port and the Lamu-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport corridor is one of the key flagship projects of Kenya’s Vision 2030.

“The entire project will include development of railways, highways and pipelines to interconnect our trading neighbours, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia and South Sudan,” President Kibaki said.

President Kibaki appreciated South Korea’s support to Kenya’s development endeavours and expressed optimism that the mutual development partnership
between the two countries will further be enhanced.

The President was speaking today when he met and held talks with visiting South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-Sik who paid him a courtesy call at
State House, Nairobi.

Noting that the Kenya Government placed high priority on human resource development, President Kibaki appreciated the scholarships offered to Kenyan students by the South Korean Government.

On the bilateral front, the President hailed the existing cordial relations between Kenya and South Korea.

“I am pleased to recognize that our two countries have had strong bonds of true friendship and partnership since the establishment of Kenya-Korea diplomatic relations in 1964,” President Kibaki said.

During the meeting, President Kibaki and the South Korean Prime Minister also discussed regional peace and stability.

In this connection, Prime Minister Hwang-Sik commended Kenya’s role in facilitating peace initiatives in the Horn of Africa particularly in Sudan
and Somalia.

Following the re-hatting of the Kenya Defence Forces to AMISOM, the South Korean Prime Minister gave an assurance that his Government would join hands with other members of the international community in supporting the AMISOM troops in Somalia.

During the South Korean Prime Minister’s four-day official visit, an MOU between Kenya Marine Authority and Korea Coast Guard will be signed. The MOU is geared towards strengthening and improving the efficiency and effectiveness in maritime safety and surveillance and sharing of information on piracy.

Prime Minister Hwang-Sik will also preside over the signing of an MOU between the University of Nairobi and the Korean Foundation where the university will receive Kshs 5 million towards the start of Korean studies at the university.

Present during the meeting were Tourism Minister Danson Mwazo, Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister Richard Onyonka, acting Head of Public Service
and Secretary to the Cabinet Mr. Francis Kimemia and Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi.



PPS
Nairobi
9th July, 2012