By Roy Lie Atjam.
The Hague, Friday 7 December 2018, the Kenyan Ambassador in the Netherlands H.E. Mr. Lawrence Lenayapa. CBS, hosted a festive reception for international guests, Head of Missions, Dutch partners, civil society and Kenyan nationals, at the Hotel Crowne Plaza to celebrate Jamhuri Day 2018 in advance.
Not even the rain could stop the 250 or so guests from attended the mid-day reception which included Kenyan dishes, music and live performances of the Kenyan- and Dutch national anthems rendered by Kenyan singer and entertainer Ms. Wendy Kimani.
An extract of Ambassador LENAYAPA’s Jamhuri Day remarks is hereto attached.
“I am pleased to welcome you all to Kenya’s 55th National Day celebrations, “Jamhuri Day”, which is celebrated on 12th December of every year. This is a day of great significance to Kenyans because as we gained our Independence, there was promised hope and aspiration for the country; that we shall take our rightful place in the community of States and contribute to the development of mankind.
Being my first National day celebrations in the Netherlands, allow me to express my sincere appreciation to the Dutch Government authorities, the diplomatic corps as well as the International Organisations and the entire business fraternity for the warm welcome accorded to me and my family since our arrival in August.
As we reflect as a Nation on this important occasion, we appreciate the fast-changing global environment that may be defined by increased uncertainty and lack of adherence to the norms that have driven international relations.
Conscious of the need for Nations to step up and take up leadership at a global stage, Kenya has not shied away from this task at the regional, continental and even global stage. Kenya has been called upon to provide, not just thought leadership, but demonstrative influence across many issues including peace, security and governance, environmental sustainability and the blue economy, technology and innovation.
Last month, Kenya hosted the high level Global Blue Economy Conference. The very important Conference afforded the opportunity to conduct advanced discussions on the two important pillars of the Blue Economy. These are: sustainability, climate change and controlling pollution on the one hand; and production, accelerated economic growth, jobs and poverty alleviation on the other. The deliberations from this important meeting concluded on the possibility of States being able to deliver real solutions and better results for people and the planet towards building an ocean economy.
My presence in the Netherlands comes at an exciting time particularly for our relations which continue to get stronger both at the multilateral and bilateral levels. At the bilateral level, the relations which date back to 1964 is particularly evident from the business actually taking place between the two countries. Kenya seeks to further maximise on the opportunities available through the Aid-to-Trade policy of the Netherlands by actively seeking out Dutch investors for direct investments or to work through public private partnerships (PPP).
Opportunities for investment abound particularly on the Government’s Big Four Agenda, namely Food security, Universal Healthcare, decent Housing and Manufacturing. These agenda speak to the human security, that is, ensuring that we do not leave any of our people, especially the vulnerable and weak behind. It also seeks to guarantee the freedom from indignity and vulnerability caused by the lack of the basic needs and services: food, shelter, good health, jobs and empowerment. As such there are various projects available for implementation towards this cause.
As Kenya remains open for business, investors can take advantage of the country’s fully liberalised economy. The country ranked 61 on the 2017/18 World Bank ease of doing business index, which was up 19 places from 2016/17. This can be attributed largely to the focus on the growth and increased competitiveness of domestic companies, and the attraction of local and foreign investors to invest capital and expertise into the economy.
It is worth noting too that the realisation of our aspirations for growth is tied to stability within Kenya and our region. This is the reason why Kenya remains focused on the pursuit of peace and security in our region, particularly through multilateral fora. As part of this engagement, Kenya is seeking a seat in the UN Security Council for the period 2021-2022 at the elections to be held during the 74th Session of United Nations General Assembly, in New York, in 2020. Kenya has twice served as a Non-Permanent member of the UNSC in 1973-1974 and 1997–1998.
Before I conclude, I take the opportunity to welcome each of you in this room to consider Kenya as your next tourism destination. Kenya is a melting pot with an endless array of activities with a variety of holidays available, including: beach, Wildlife Safari, Culture, Landscapes, Adventure, Sports, Heritage and many others. Most of all however, you will experience the warm and friendly Kenyan people.
I would like to thank our partners who have gone a long way in ensuring this event is a success, including Starbucks, who are here to let you taste some Kenyan coffee; Decofresh, Sian Roses and United Selections who have provided the fresh cut Kenyan Roses, (please ensure you leave with a bouquet); and Ms. Anne Parkimain, who has prepared the Kenyan cuisine that we will shortly invite you to enjoy.
I would also like to thank all members of my staff at the Embassy, who have given me the best support since my arrival . I value the warmth, alliance and hard work displayed by everyone.
With these few remarks, I would like to convey my best wishes to you all during this festive season and a prosperous New Year!
I thank you all for your kind attention and I invite you to a toast.
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Photography is a courtesy of the Embassy of Kenya.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wasMkAVGgc3R1L8J9
