NAIROBI, June 4 (NNN-KBC) — Azerbaijan has officially inaugurated its embassy in Nairobi, coinciding with two decades of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The development, according to the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, highlights the commitment to deepening ties and exploring new avenues for collaboration, marking a significant step in advancing bilateral discussions.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who attended the inauguration with Jeyhun Bayramov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed Kenya’s eagerness to expand collaborative areas with Azerbaijan in the near future.
“We held a successful inaugural Kenya-Azerbaijan Bilateral Political Consultations last month in Nairobi,” Mudavadi stated. “The discussions revolved around a wide range of topics, including trade and investment, agriculture, energy, education, defence, industry, multilateral cooperation, and peace and security.”
Mudavadi also emphasized Kenya’s commitment to implementing the agreed action points, which include expediting the finalisation of pending Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and initiating new MoUs in ICT, education, and defence.
Since its establishment in 2023, the Azerbaijan embassy in Kenya has played a vital role in facilitating engagement between the two countries, thereby enhancing Nairobi’s status as a regional diplomatic hub.
“`I thank the Kenyan government and acknowledge the favourable environment and conditions created by Kenya as our host for the proper functioning of the diplomatic mission we have inaugurated today.” remarked Bayramov.
He expressed eagerness to collaborate with Kenya on initiatives that would strengthen partnerships within international organisations such as the United Nations.
On the first day of his official visit, Bayramov noted the significant talent within Kenya’s youth, stating that Azerbaijan is keen to learn from these experiences to enhance mutual collaboration.
“We have interacted with Kenya’s policies on youth, culture and sports. We are thrilled on how Kenya manages to integrate its policies to real expectations of the citizens. We look forward to learning and collaborating on this front.” said Bayramov.
“In the fields of education and diplomacy, we are working towards establishing a partnership framework that will enable us to offer specialized courses for young diplomats from Kenya,” he added.
Mudavadi, who previously held bilateral talks with the Azerbaijani delegation at his Railways offices, acknowledged the shared priorities between Kenya and Azerbaijan in global governance, particularly regarding climate change.
He congratulated Azerbaijan on successfully hosting COP-29 in Baku last year, which brought the world together to discuss and make decisions on critical issues related to climate financing and carbon markets.
During the talks, the Prime CS noted Kenya’s commitment to the successful conclusion of the ongoing negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty. He sought Azerbaijan’s support for the African position of establishing the Secretariat in Nairobi during the second session of the 5th Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee Meeting planned for Geneva in August.
“It is our conviction as Africa that Nairobi, as the headquarters of UNEP, would be the natural home for the Global Plastics Treaty Secretariat,” he said.
“The 7th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) will be held in Nairobi in December 2025. In this regard, Kenya proposes to sponsor two resolutions at the Assembly: one on Artificial Intelligence and the other on Sports and the Environment. I would like to invite Azerbaijan to join us in co-sponsoring these resolutions. We will provide additional information in due course,” added Mudavadi.
Mudavadi also congratulated Azerbaijan on its successful bid to host the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku in 2026 and pledged Kenya’s participation in the Forum.
“Kenya looks forward to contributing to meaningful dialogue and exchanging best practices on inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities next year in Baku,” Mudavadi assured.
Bayramov also met with President William Ruto at State House, where he extended an invitation for a State Visit to Baku. — NNN-KBC
