By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
Kenya, an agricultural nation in Africa that has an ambitious goal of growing into a middle-income developing country by 2030, seeks to boost economic exchanges with Korea as it is to appoint the first resident ambassador to Korea.
Dennis Awori, non-resident ambassador of Kenya to Korea was in Seoul two weeks ago, preparing for the arrival of a new ambassador who he said would arrive in March.
Awori said, ``Kenya recognizes the importance of strengthening its relations with Korea for mutual benefit. And opening an embassy in Seoul will further strengthen these ties, especially in trade and investment, which is the focus of our new foreign policy.''
The decision to send the top envoy to Korea came five months after Kenya opened its embassy in late July 2007 in Itaewon, Seoul.
Kenya and Korea established diplomatic relations in 1964. The Korean government opened an embassy in Nairobi, the capital, in 1964.
The field of interest for Kenya seems fixed: manufacturing. Awori said Kenya hopes to see more Korean investment in manufacturing, a big aim to meet the 2030 goal of industrialization.
The ambassador's evaluation on the current bilateral relations between Korea and Kenya is positive.
``Kenya's bilateral relations with Korea have traditionally been strong,'' he said.
And he specially recognized the work of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, which assists to build trade ties between the two countries.
Kenya is an Eastern African country, bordered by Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west and Sudan to the northwest. The country is named after the landmark mountain, Mount Kenya.
Kenya has gained a thriving economy as Nairobi is teeming with foreign finance firms and investment companies.
Samsung Electronics, Daewoo International, and Paradise Group are among the Korean businesses that invest in Kenya.
Trade between Korea and Kenya is nearly $75 million a year, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Kenya imports Korean machinery and electronics, and Korea imports agricultural products from the African country.
Anticipating swift action from the Korean government with a new business-minded president, the ambassador threw an open invitation to Lee Myung-bak, the President-elect, to Kenya.
Awori said, ``If he travels to Kenya with the Korean businessmen, it would help to boost business interest in Kenya among Koreans because they can see what we can offer.''
The ambassador himself also comes from a business sector where he had worked for Toyota, a Japanese automaker, in Kenya.
Korea is one of a few Asian countries that Kenya is fixing their eyes on to set as a economic model and to expand trade and investment along with China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and India.
Awori had never traveled to Korea until his first visit as an ambassador. He now visits Korea several times a year.
Leaving one more official visit prior to arrival of the new ambassador, he recalled the places he had visited in Korea and chose Jeju Island and Busan as the most impressive places in Korea.
``I have enjoyed my time as ambassador to Korea and found Korean society to be an interesting mix of both hi-tech and traditional. I am also impressed by how far you have developed in such a short time, since the devastation you suffered from the 1950-53 Korean War,'' the ambassador said.
The interview with the Korea Times took place on the day of the presidential election in Kenya. Voters cast their votes for the Kenyan parliament and the local governments all at the same time. ``We traditionally do all three on the same day.''
The ambassador said the election is a reflection of a long democracy in Kenya. ``Kenya is proud of its record of holding general elections every five years since it attained independence 44 years ago.''
He added, ``because we hold all of our elections at the same time, our campaigning is much more intense. Therefore, there is a feeling of personal involvement countrywide,'' comparing the campaign in Kenya to the Korean presidential election campaign. ``Your elections are much quieter and somewhat less emotional.''
Photos and videos of the Kenyan election captured musical instruments, colorful costumes and props in a crowd of voters and supporters.
Awori, without hesitation, expressed his support for Mwai Kibaki, incumbent president seeking for re-election, and who appointed him as an ambassador.