Serbia backs Kenya’s bid for UN seat, Big Four Agenda

Serbia has assured Kenya that it will support its bid for UN security council seat.

Ivaca Dacic, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister and minister for Foreign Affairs said his country is committed to ensuring that Kenya wins the seat.

“I assure you Serbia will support Kenya for the non permanent seat on the UN Security Council,” said Dacic when he met Foreign Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary Ababu Namwamba in their bilateral meeting in Belgrade.

He also noted that his country is ready to invest in Kenya especially in areas related to Big Four Agenda.

“We will also encourage Serbian investors to come to Kenya and put money in your Big 4 Agenda projects that you have so eloquently explained to us, and Serbian tourists to visit your beautiful country. Kenya is our natural friend and partner,” he said.

Namwamba urged Serbian companies to invest in Manufacturing, Food Security, Affordable Housing and Universal Healthcare which forms Jubilee’s Big Four Agenda.

He said such investments will boost trade between the two countries and closer ties between Nairobi and Belgrade.

“Kenya is keen to leverage on Serbia’s expertise especially in manufacturing with your strong industrial base in automobiles, machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food processing,” said Namwamba.

He encouraged Serbian investors to take advantage of Kenya’s conducive business environment, describing the country as an established regional economic hub, attractive and safe investment frontier, a gateway to East and Central Africa.

He highlighted that Kenya and Serbia continue to enjoy cordial and beneficial relations first established through friendship between Kenya’s founding father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Yugoslavia’s iconic leader Josip Broz Tito, whose evolved party Premier Dacic is leader of today.

“Our historical ties have stood the test of time and been manifested in our close cooperation on multiple fronts. Today this special friendship is evidenced by the commitment of Serbia to support Kenya’s bid for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) non-permanent seat for the period 2021-2022 in the vote to be held in New York this June,” he said.

The CAS assured and pinned Kenya’s official campaign badge on Mr. Dacic’s court lapel to signify Serbia’s support for Kenya’s bid for the UN security council seat.

The two ministers also discussed cooperation in Trade and Investment, Education, Agriculture, Culture, Sports, Tourism and Security.

Mr Namwamba also met Nemanja Stevanovic, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and they agreed to cooperate in trade and investment in Big 4 Agenda programs, tourism, security, scholarships and multilateralism.

In a meeting with Prof. Bojan Tubic, Assistant Minister for Education, Science and Technological Development, the two ministers agreed to cooperate in education, specifically twinning of Foreign Service Academies, Universities, Technical Training Institutes, teacher and student exchange programs, scientific research and scholarships.

CAS Ababu further met Ivana Dedic, Serbian Assistant Minister responsible for Contemporary Arts and Creative Industry, Ministry of Culture and Media.

They discussed Cultural Cooperation through twining national museums and archives, theatres, libraries, festivals and artists of Kenya and Serbia.