Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has inked a deal with the Indonesian government that will see Kenya export 700,000 head of cattle yearly.

Kuria who is in the country on an official tour made the announcement after meeting Ir Nasrullah, Indonesia’s animal production and animal health director general.

The shipment, he said, will start in August this year.

“We agreed to hasten approval protocols that will enable the first shipment of 20,000 herds by August 2023,” he said.

Kuria also held talks with the Maritime Affairs and Investment minister Luhut Binsar.

The talks, he stated, were fostering ties for bilateral cooperation, including export growth, manufacturing advancements, long-term partnership, and inclusive development.

“I had the pleasure of having a meeting with Binsar with whom we discussed these crucial matters. We emphasised the importance of deepening our trade and investment relationship to achieve mutual benefits,” he said.

Kenya, he said, recognises the potential for significant export growth in various sectors and agreed to explore avenues to enhance our export capabilities.

He said collaborative efforts will be made to facilitate trade exchanges and promote the value addition of raw materials, contributing to the sustainable economic development of both our nations.

Indonesia’s President Joko Widoto, the CS disclosed, is set to visit Kenya this year as part of efforts towards strengthening bilateral relations.

“The visit is expected to open new avenues for cooperation across various sectors and enhance trade and investment opportunities between the two countries,” he said.

The bilateral diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to 1979.

Indonesian and Kenyan foreign ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on June 19, 2008, in Nairobi, to establish a Joint Commission between Indonesia and Kenya.

The commission serves as a forum to expand and improves cooperation sectors, also to solve bilateral problems.

During their first meeting in Jakarta in December 2008, the commission agreed to expand the cooperation in several sectors, such as economy, trade, social and culture, and technical cooperation.

The two ministers also identified edible oils, mining, renewable energy, blue economy, pharmaceuticals, electric mobility, textile and apparel, coffee, tea, nuts, and flowers as crucial sectors that will help spur Business-to-Business engagement.

Source: Kenya Star