President William Ruto is set to embark on an official journey to South Korea tonight, Sunday, June 2, 2024, subsequent to his recent three-day state visit to the United States, at the gracious invitation of President Joe Biden. During his time in the US, Kenya solidified numerous bilateral agreements of substantial value.
Speaking to congregants at a church service in Kimilili, Bungoma County, on Sunday, the President reiterated his dedication to undertaking various international trips aimed at advancing the nation’s interests. “Following this engagement, I will be departing for South Korea tonight. My intent is not leisure or tourism, but rather focused on substantial endeavors,” he assured the residents of Bungoma.
Ruto’s schedule includes participation in the Korea-Summit, joining 48 other Heads of State and government, underscoring Kenya’s robust diplomatic presence on the global platform.
The President delineated his agenda, which encompasses finalizing bilateral agreements and securing funding for pivotal projects, building upon prior commitments such as his 2022 State Visit at the invitation of President Yoon Suk Yeol during the Korea-Africa Summit. “During that visit, we laid the foundation for collaboration between universities in Athi River and South Korea, resulting in a commitment of Ksh40 billion to fortify the creative economy among our youth,” he expounded.
He underscored the significance of such endeavors in bolstering Kenyan youth engaged in the creative sector, drawing parallels with his recent interactions with prominent creative economy stakeholders in the United States.
Ruto also divulged South Korea’s acknowledgment of Kenya’s arid regions and their pledge to furnish irrigation equipment worth millions of shillings. Furthermore, he pledged job opportunities for Kenyan youth during his visit to the Asian nation, unveiling plans to ink an agreement facilitating the export of human capital. “We have commenced discussions with the South Korean president to dispatch 5,000 to 10,000 Kenyan youth to South Korea under a human capital export initiative,” he declared.
