The East African nation of Kenya and the Arab state of Iran attempt to deepen their ties through religious exchange programs and peace efforts.
- Kenya and Iran aim to deepen ties through religious exchange programs and peace efforts.
- 22 agreements have been signed to strengthen diplomatic ties across sectors like education, health, infrastructure, and agriculture.
- The focus on religious and cultural ties aims to address geopolitical concerns and emphasizes the role of religion in promoting peace and harmony.
This move has been in the works since Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Kenya in 2023.
Since then, both nations have inked 22 agreements to strengthen their diplomatic ties.
These 22 deals span numerous sectors, including education, health, infrastructure, scholarships, water, fisheries, and agriculture.
Recently, Ali Gholampour, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ambassador to Kenya, as reported by The Star, stated that the goal of the discourse and cultural exchange strategy is to tackle urgent geopolitical concerns.
DON’T MISS THIS: Foriegn investors continue to place more trust in Kenya’s tech ecosystem over Nigeria’s
“Through that engagement, we could know each other better and understand better. Through that mutual understanding, we will be in a position to strengthen our bilateral relations,” he stated.
According to data from Kenya’s National Bureau of Statistics, in 2022, the value of trade between Kenya and Iran came in at Sh9.3 billion.
Kenya exported products to Iran worth Sh5.9 billion, while it imported products worth Sh3.4 billion, ensuring that the trade balance profited the East African country more.
According to The Star‘s report, the products Kenya sold to Iran were primarily tea, coffee, fruits, fish, and textiles, while the products it imported included chemicals, fuels, and plastics.
Dialogue and culture exchange
The move to strengthen religious and cultural ties, according to Gholampour, is pivotal in closing the communication gap between both countries.
It also underscores the importance of religion and community involvement in tackling current issues with peace and harmony.
He went on to cite the ongoing conflicts in Somalia, Sudan, and Gaza as a threat to improving ties between nations, pointing to the unstable conditions in areas like the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
He called the death toll and devastation in Palestine a violation of human rights and international law.
“What these regions need most is peace, tolerance, and dialogue to address differences and peacefully resolve conflicts, said Ghulampour, “Religions play a crucial role in guiding followers toward peaceful resolutions to conflicts and differences,” he stated.
