NAIROBI, Kenya, 17 November 2019 – Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda and Vice President of Costa Rica Mrs. Epsy Campbell Barr recently paid separate courtesy calls on Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during which they discussed ways of   rejuvenating bilateral relations and deepening cooperation between Kenya and the Caribbean in several areas of mutual interest.

The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) reports that the Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister and the Kenya President resolved to upscale bilateral relations between Kenya and Antigua and Barbuda by establishing diplomatic missions in their respective countries. Prime Minister Browne assured President Kenyatta that Antigua and Barbuda supports Kenya’s candidature for the non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2021 to 2022 term.

The Costa Rican Vice President Mrs. Epsy Campbell-Barr pledged her country’s support to Kenya’s Big 4 Agenda especially in the provision of affordable housing through capacity building. She said her country is also ready to share its expertise with Kenya in universal healthcare coverage, saying Costa Rica has made great strides in the production of anti-venom serum at low cost.

President Kenyatta welcomed initiatives to build bilateral ties with the Caribbean. “I am a big believer in creating and cementing relations with the Caribbean Community,” President Kenyatta said adding that Kenya is an emerging leader in the generation of renewable energy, an area the country is willing to share its expertise. 

The Caribbean leaders were in Kenya to attend the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD25) which closed on Thursday November 14 with partners making bold commitments to transform the world by ending all maternal deaths, unmet need for family planning and gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls by 2030.

The Summit co-convened by the governments of Kenya and Denmark with UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, unveiled critical new data about the cost of achieving these goals. It mobilized more than 1,200 commitments from around the world, including billions of dollars in pledges from public and private sector partners. It also raised the voices of marginalized communities, youth and grassroots advocates, who were able to directly engage heads of state and policymakers about how to realize the rights and health of all people.