Kenyan FM hails zero-tariff pledge 'lifeline'

Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has welcomed China's zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, calling the move a vital "lifeline" for the continent's economies and a catalyst for deeper South-South cooperation.

The policy was announced by President Xi Jinping in his congratulatory message to the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held last week in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province.

"For China to step forward and make this initiative, it is offering a very critical lifeline to the economies on the African continent," Mudavadi, who also serves as Kenya's Cabinet secretary for foreign and diaspora affairs, said in an interview with China Daily, emphasizing the importance of inclusive trade amid rising global protectionism.

This policy, which granted zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for the African nations, will not only boost China-Africa trade, but also strengthen intra-African commerce by supporting the African Union's continental free trade initiative, he said.

Xi's message to the gathering was "of profound significance to the African continent", Mudavadi said, adding that it will "spur a lot of growth".

He commended Xi's "critical leadership", saying that China has emerged as a reliable partner for African countries.

At the 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit in September, Xi put forward 10 key cooperation initiatives. At the coordinators' ministerial meeting from June 10 to 12, China pledged to deepen the implementation of these actions to accelerate the continent's modernization.

"Once a commitment is made, it is carried (forward) through dialogue," Mudavadi said, citing China's consistent efforts to follow through on various cooperation agreements.

He stressed the importance of China's support for multilateralism and rules-based global engagements amid global geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

"China has got a very critical role to play. It's a big economy, it's a big nation. And it's important that it becomes a strong voice in helping the global community."

Highlighting the long-standing friendship between Kenya and China, Mudavadi said the partnership has delivered "visible and practical" results in various areas and China's engagement has directly supported Kenya's modernization.

"Under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has been very supportive in enhancing connectivity in African countries," he said.

Foremost among them is the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, which links the port of Mombasa to Kenya's interior and was funded and built with Chinese support, said Mudavadi.

"It is our intention to have it extended to the Ugandan border because Kenya is one of the eight East African community countries as an economic bloc. It is also the gateway for several of these countries to bring in their commodities and to also export their commodities with this investment of the railway."

Mudavadi also identified technology and youth development as pillars of future cooperation. He highlighted Chinese tech giant Huawei's strong presence in Kenya's information and communications technology sector and pointed to new opportunities in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital agriculture.

"China is making very important steps in technology," he said. "By working together, we can bring more affordable and effective technology into Kenya's manufacturing and agricultural sectors."

With a combined population of around 2.8 billion in China and Africa, Mudavadi stressed that modernization must be driven by science, technology and research.

"This (modernization) is a good opportunity that we should not fail to take advantage of. We wish China success and also look forward to even more deeper engagement."