DEVELOPING A GREATER LIAISON

Amongst the plethora of displays at the Bahrain International Garden Show, held at Exhibition World Bahrain recently, one in particular caught our eye. The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in the State of Kuwait, which also holds accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain, showcased Kenya’s famous heritage, art, tourism and of course, its wonderful tea and coffee!

Woman This Month was invited to speak to the Ambassador, Her Excellency Halima A. Mohamud, to find out more about the country’s wonderful African culture, the current state of diplomatic relations between Kenya and Bahrain, and how the Embassy helps the blossoming Kenyan community in the Kingdom.

Your Excellency, could you give our readers a brief on your political career?

My journey in public life started from my early years at university when I was a student leader. The 2010 Kenyan Constitution ushered in new opportunities for Kenyan women, youth and other marginalised communities, ensuring equal opportunities through the application of the 2/3rd Gender Rule and Affirmative Action in leadership positions.

I began working for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on issues of good governance and educating citizens on the constitution. It is during this period that I developed a passion for politics and was nominated to the Senate in 2013. I actively took part in parliamentary debates and participated in drafting various pieces of legislation that improved the governance in the country.

Subsequently, in 2019, I was appointed Kenya’s Ambassador to the State of Kuwait with multiple accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of Lebanon. It has been a most fulfilling duty thus far.

How many Kenyans are currently residing in Bahrain and the wider region, and has this number grown in recent years?

We estimate that there are approximately 6,000 Kenyans in Bahrain and 250,000 Kenyans in the wider Gulf region. The number had gradually increased over the last few years, however, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted labour markets all over the world. Despite this, there are positive indications that the numbers may begin to rise again, especially if a structured engagement of managing employment and labour export between the two countries is put into place.

What sectors are they mostly engaged in?

There are many Kenyans in the semi-skilled sector including domestic house managers. Others are mainly in the security and the hospitality sector. The governments of Kenya and Bahrain are working on a framework agreement on employment of workers, and we expect that the agreement will gradually open more opportunities for Kenyan workers in Bahrain including professional cadres. Kenya has a well-educated, hardworking, young and vibrant workforce, with a very positive work ethic which makes it competitive all over the world.

What are the current trade figures between Kenya and Bahrain?

Between 2012 and 2021, Kenya’s exports to Bahrain averaged at USD5.5 million while imports from Bahrain averaged at USD150.2 million. The balance of trade is in favour of Bahrain, but as you can see, the trade volumes between the two countries remain relatively low. The fact is these figures are not representative of the immense potential that exists between the two countries for growing bilateral trade. It remains largely untapped, and Kenya is therefore keen on expanding trade and economic cooperation with Bahrain especially by encouraging our business sector to explore the available opportunities in Bahrain.

What are the most sought-after products traded between the two countries?

Kenya’s principal export product to Bahrain in 2021 was sheep and goat meat, either fresh, chilled or frozen, which accounted for 71.4 percent of Kenya’s total exports. Other key export products include cut flowers, dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, guavas, mangoes, nuts, tea and coffee.

On the other hand, Kenya’s leading and main import products from Bahrain in 2021 included iron parts or non-alloy steel, petroleum oil products, unwrought aluminium, chemical products and textile materials.

What has your experience been like in Bahrain and how have you found the response to your Kenyan products like the

tea, coffee and art?

Participating at the Bahrain International Garden Show has been a valuable and eye-opening experience for us. From the interactions we have had at our stand and the follow-up discussions with potential importers, I can say without doubt that there is a huge interest in Kenyan products especially coffee and tea, beyond the meat which is already established in the market here. For example, one of the patrons at the stand told us how they have to travel to Saudi Arabia to buy a Kenyan tea brand that they love! Therefore, we intend to closely follow up on the contacts we have developed in the market to link them up with suppliers in Kenya. Tourism has a big potential also, and we intend to open discussions with tourism players in Bahrain on how to develop the potential in this area.

In what ways do you promote the relationship between Bahrain and Kenya?

Kenya and Bahrain enjoys very warm and cordial relations. In fact, the dialogue and interactions between officials of our two governments has been very positive. But there’s an acknowledgment now on the need to develop our bilateral ties to emphasise areas that deliver concrete mutual benefits to the people of our two countries. Forging closer trade and economic cooperation is therefore a key pillar for our bilateral relations. Therefore participating in exhibitions is a deliberate effort to actualise and move the focus towards this priority. We intend to tap into the historical ties between our peoples and the now growing people-to people connections to open further opportunities and pave the way for a more robust engagement between our two friendly countries.

Are there any high-level visits planned between the two countries, and do you yourself have any future visits to Bahrain planned?

Kenya has participated in the IISS Manama Dialogue numerous times, which is the preeminent peace and security forum in the region and beyond. Kenya has been sending high level representatives in policy-making positions and the interactions and insights gleaned from the forum have been very illuminating and valuable. We look forward to attending the next edition.

Our countries are also discussing ways of strengthening bilateral relations through revitalisation of the existing bilateral cooperation frameworks and exploring new areas of partnership. Therefore, in the near future, the two countries will hold bilateral consultations in Nairobi aimed at setting out priority areas of cooperation within the context of the Joint Commission for Cooperation. Personally, I have a brief from my government to help to bring the relationship between our two countries to its full potential. That task requires me to work closely with Bahrain authorities including the Foreign Ministry and the private sector. Therefore, I am always planning for my next trip here. Furthermore, we also have quite a significant Kenyan diaspora community that is constantly in need of consular services.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would like to recognise the keen interest that our two governments have taken in seeking to develop closer cooperative relations. I am committed to doing everything I can to achieve progress on that front including by promoting greater liaison between our counterpart government departments and assisting to promote and intensify interactions between our business and private