Kenya looks to Algeria for answers to terrorism

Politics and policy

President Uhuru Kenyatta meets Prime Minister of Algeria, Abdelmalek Sellal (left) who called on him at his residential villa in Algiers. PHOTO | FILE 

By TREVOR ANALO

In Summary

• Since taking office nearly two years ago, President Kenyatta has concentrated on cultivating strong ties with the Gulf states.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta made his maiden trip to North Africa last week, meeting with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in what turned out to be a search for another partner for the country’s nascent oil and gas sector and for an ally in the war on terror.

President Kenyatta officiated at the opening of Kenya’s first embassy in Algiers and announced plans for both countries to lift visa restrictions for holders of diplomatic passports.

The two countries also signed co-operation agreements in oil, gas and energy, including onshore and offshore exploration and production of hydrocarbons. They also agreed to work closely on security challenges — even appealing to the international community to help mitigate the unfolding humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, where about two million people are now internally displaced.

Kenya has been actively seeking investors for its emerging oil and gas sector. Since taking office nearly two years ago, President Kenyatta has concentrated on cultivating strong ties with the Gulf states.

The president has already made official visits to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Qatar, where he signed multibillion -dollar deals in oil and gas, infrastructure and energy projects.

READ: Kenya’s new Algeria envoy eyes trade boost

In Algeria, Kenya sees a country flush with petro-dollars and experience in managing oil windfalls. The country’s oil industry is one of the biggest in the world.

According to the Middle East Economic Survey Algeria’s oil and natural gas export revenues amounted to almost $63.8 billion in 2013. Its foreign exchange reserves reached $194 billion by the end of December 2013. The sector accounts for 60 per cent of the budget, 30 per cent of GDP and over 95 per cent of export earnings.

Algeria has the 10th largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the sixth largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in oil reserves. Algeria’s oil production stands at 1.875 million barrels a day.

“As Kenya looks forward to commercial exploitation of its oil resources, we look forward to learning from Algeria’s expertise,” said Kenya’s Foreign Secretary, Amina Mohamed.

While President Kenyatta’s trip focused less on big policy announcements, his choice of Algeria as his first official trip to North Africa did not escape the notice of foreign policy analysts.

“It makes sense that Kenya and Algeria would want to strengthen ties. The country is now emerging as the pivotal state in North Africa,” saidMacharia Munene, a professor of international relations at Nairobi’s United States International University.

Algeria has long been perceived as a significant regional powerhouse. But its perceived importance has risen in the past few years after the geopolitical shift in the Middle East prompted by the Arab Spring.

“With Egypt and Libya in crisis, Algeria, which has long held regional ambitions, emerged to fill the vacuum left by the two hegemons,” Prof Munene said.

Kenya’s political and economic links with North Africa were also disrupted when the wave of revolutions in the Arab world swept through its key ally Libya. As a result, Kenya is trying to firm up its links in the region by expanding ties with other key players. But relations with Libya were not always rosy.