By Dorothy Musyoka
Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening bilateral relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan, as part of its ongoing efforts to expand the role of Parliamentary diplomacy in the country’s foreign policy.
This follows a high-level engagement held between Kenyan leadership led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and a delegation from Azerbaijan led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Jeyhun Bayramov, accompanied by the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Sultan Hajiyev.
The delegation paid a courtesy call at the Parliament Buildings in Nairobi.
During the discussions, both parties reflected on the long-standing relations between Kenya and Azerbaijan, which span critical sectors such as energy, investment, agriculture, tourism, and climate change.
“In light of Kenya’s review of its Foreign Policy to incorporate Parliamentary diplomacy, we discussed key areas for strengthening cooperation between our two countries.Kenya and Azerbaijan enjoy relations spanning various sectors, including energy, investment, agriculture, tourism and climate change,” noted Wetang’ula.
The meeting provided an opportunity to explore new avenues for mutual cooperation while addressing current challenges that may hinder closer engagement.
Notably, Kenya raised concerns about the existing trade imbalance, which currently favours Azerbaijan.
In response, the Kenyan side called for a review of restrictions governing the entry of foreigners into Azerbaijan.
“However, I noted that the balance of trade continues to favour Azerbaijan. I urged the Azerbaijani delegation to consider reviewing the existing restrictions on the entry of foreigners into their country. I emphasized that Kenya’s decision to open its borders has created limitless opportunities for its citizens and serves as a model worth considering,” explained Wetang’ula.
In a bid to bolster Parliamentary engagement between the two nations, Kenya extended a formal invitation to Azerbaijan to establish a Kenya-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship Group.
This proposed collaboration aims to facilitate structured dialogue between legislators, support shared legislative interests and eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that hinder bilateral cooperation.
The meeting was attended by the Chairperson of the National Assembly’s Committee on Defense, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, Hon. Nelson Koech, and Hon. Martha Wangari, Member of Parliament for Gilgil.