President Uhuru Kenyatta has travelled to the
United States to attend the 70th Session of United Nations General
Assembly in New York.
President
Kenyatta will on Friday attend a summit where the UN is expected to
adopt the new
post-2015 development agenda, enshrined in what are known
as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“President
Kenyatta will make sure Kenya’s voice is heard as the world adopts the
new development agenda, completing a process which Kenya has actively
participated in,” State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu said.
While
in New York, President Kenyatta will also co-chair or participate in
high-level meetings tackling gender inequality and empowering women,
peace, security and counter-terrorism, enhancing investments in Kenya
and the African continent, climate change and trade.
With
President Xi Jinping of China, President Kenyatta will co-chair a panel
on women's empowerment, where Kenya is recognised as one of the leading
successes in Africa.
“The President
has repeatedly made it clear that gender equality is a national
priority. His government’s policy reflects that commitment ranging from
setting aside funds for business run by female entrepreneurs to
directing extra funding to health services that are likely to be used by
women,” Mr Esipisu said.
PEACE OPERATIONS
Later,
President Kenyatta is expected to speak at a summit on UN peace
operations that will be attended by several leaders, led by US President
Barack Obama.
Kenya has long been a significant contributor to the UN’s peacekeeping operations.
The President is expected to hold other important bilateral meetings.
In
preparation for the Tokyo International Conference on African
Development (Ticad), which Kenya will be hosting in 2016, the President
will meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan.
At
the meeting, President Kenyatta is expected to affirm joint plans for
Ticad as well as follow up on other bilateral matters arising since his
visit to Japan earlier this year.
President
Kenyatta is also scheduled to meet United Nations Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon to discuss matters of interest to the UN and Kenya, including
the question of refugees.
Mr Esipisu said Kenya was honoured and proud of the important role it played in the post-2015 development agenda process.
He
pointed out that Kenya’s permanent representative at the UN, Mr
Macharia Kamau, co-chaired the Open Working Group on Sustainable
Development Goals and co-facilitated the inter-governmental negotiations
on the post-2015 development Agenda.
First
Lady Margaret Kenyatta is already in New York, at the invitation of the
UN secretary-general, to address maternal health, HIV and Aids, and
widening access to healthcare for the marginalised, a campaign the First
Lady has successfully spearheaded through her Beyond Zero initiative in
Kenya.
The plane carrying President Kenyatta departed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after 5.40pm.
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