President Uhuru To Open New Chancery In Switzerland To Strengthen Trade Ties
President Uhuru Kenyatta plans to open a new chancery in Bern, Switzerland, to boost trade ties between the two countries.
Lydia Kadima 
On May 22, the 75th World Health Assembly will open with a high-level session with statements by the newly elected President of the Assembly, Heads of State, special guests, and an address by the WHO Director-General, as well as the presentation of the Director-Health General's Awards.
"Health for Peace, Peace for Health" is the theme of this year's World Health Assembly.
President Kenyatta is slated to speak at the World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 22, according to the Kenyan envoy to Switzerland.
Ambassador Andrew Kihuran, speaking ahead of President Kenyatta's official visit to Switzerland, said the new chancery will bolster the expanding bilateral trade, which is on the rise, with Kenya's exports standing at Sh4.8 billion and imports from Switzerland at Sh8 billion yearly.
“Another primary issue we engage in is promotion of trade. You may be aware that there’s significant bilateral trade between the two countries. Kenya is Switzerland’s 16th biggest trading partner in Africa,” Ambassador Kihuran said.
Despite the economic imbalance favoring Switzerland, Kenya has continued to boost its exports of coffee, tea, and horticulture produce, according to the Kenyan Ambassador.
In 2021, he noted, bilateral trade would be considerable, with Kenya serving as Switzerland's primary source of cut flowers.
“So our mandate is to be able to see how to enhance that trade between the two countries. Not only in terms of the volume but also in terms of the breadth, to see what other different items we can be able to trade between the two countries,” he added.
Herbicides, fungicides, chemicals, paints, machinery, and pharmaceuticals are among the items imported from Switzerland to Kenya.
Ambassador Kihuran went on to say that the two countries had worked closely in the tourism industry, saying that before the Covid-19 pandemic, Kenya used to welcome over 9,000 tourists from Switzerland each year.
He expressed optimism that the ongoing Covid-19 immunization process will help to reinvigorate the tourism sector, with Kenya getting an increasing number of Swiss tourists.
He said the President's remarks at the World Health Assembly will highlight how Kenya has been a global leader in advocating health problems.
“This will be his first time to address the Assembly. This is important in terms of showing the support that Kenya has for issues which will be discussed with Assembly on the issue of health,” he said.
