President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday urged UK Prime Minister Theresa May to return the region’s visa processing centre to Nairobi as he seeks new trade terms ahead of Britain’s exit (Brexit) from the European Union (EU).
Mr Kenyatta said the Nairobi centre – lost to Pretoria three years ago in the cost-cutting measures announced by her predecessor David Cameron - will easily serve the entire Eastern and Central Africa in the post-Brexit period.
At the moment, Kenyans like other regional applicants, have their online visa requests processed in the South African capital Pretoria.
“It is Kenya’s desire to continue having seamless trade relations during and after Brexit. We wish to continue accessing the UK market duty-free and quota-free after the UK exits the EU,” President Kenyatta said when he met Ms May on Wednesday at Number 10 Downing Street.
This was their first meeting since Ms May’s abrupt ascension to power late last year.
Kenya and the UK have for a long time been banking on the Economic Partnership Agreement between the East Africa Community (EAC) and EU.
With eminent pullout of Britain from EU, President Kenyatta has moved to take early steps to safeguard the free trade.
At the May 10 meeting, Mr Kenyatta asked for a new pact to guarantee access of Kenyan exports to the UK market on a duty-free quota-free basis after Brexit.
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