Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is set to attend a state banquet hosted by China President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, September 5, 2024.
According to Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’oei who heads Raila’s secretariat for his African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship bid, the former prime Minister is not in China to lobby.
At least 30 heads of state from Africa and over 40 ministers of foreign affairs are attending the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
“China has a partnership relation with the African Union. While in China Raila will primarily seek to understand the areas of potential partnership and make contacts with the key actors who manage AU-China relations. Partnership is an integral part of the AUC chairman’s job,” Sing’oei stated.
“He’s not in China to lobby but will accompany the president at the state banquet hosted by President Xi for African leaders tomorrow (Wednesday) evening.”
Raila is also scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the FOCAC summit on September 5, 2024 morning.
It is expected that he will, with President William Ruto, meet select African Heads of State.
Raila accompanies Ruto
Raila Odinga landed in Beijing, China, in the company of President William Ruto on September 2, 2024.
The forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be held from Wednesday, September 4, 2024, to Friday, September 6, 2024.
Ruto meets Xi Jinping
On Tuesday, September 2, 2024, Ruto held talks with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall, with President Xi agreeing to give Kenya’s agricultural produce access to the Chinese market.
“Kenya and China have excellent and cordial diplomatic relations. These ties have been mutually beneficial to our two countries, phenomenally transforming Kenya’s railway, road and port infrastructure, and deepening people-to-people exchanges,” Ruto stated after the meeting.
Ruto also said they agreed to discuss regional infrastructure projects such as the expansion of SGR, and the Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba dual carriageway.
“Through our bilateral cooperation with China, the Mombasa-Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway, the Nairobi Expressway and many rural roads have been built, opening up the country and making Kenya a key transport hub not just in Eastern Africa but the continent. Held talks with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, ahead of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit. During the meeting, President Xi agreed to give Kenya’s agricultural produce access to the Chinese market,” Ruto said.
“We also agreed to discuss regional infrastructure projects such as the expansion of SGR, and the Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba dual carriageway.”
