President William Ruto departed the country Thursday afternoon to attend two crucial meetings in Kampala, Uganda.
State House said Ruto will attend an Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) meeting on regional cooperation and development in line with Kenya’s commitment to stability and progress in the Eastern African region.
On Friday, Ruto will attend the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement.
The summit will address crucial global issues, including multilateralism, international peace and post-Covid 19 recovery strategies.
At the summit, whose theme is ‘Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence’, President Ruto will contribute to discussions on key priorities such as reform of the United Nations, peace and security, Sustainable Development Goals, climate change and the reform of the international financial system.
He will also hold bilateral meetings with various Heads of State and leaders aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties and underscoring Kenya’s role in regional and global affairs.
It is not clear if he will fly to Kinshasa to attend the inauguration of president Felix Tshisekedi who is set to be inaugurated for a new term as president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, after the constitutional court confirmed his victory in last month’s election.
Tshisekedi’s swearing-in ceremony will take place January 20 in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital.
In the eastern part of the country, residents hope he will focus his attention on bringing peace and security to the volatile region.
The DRC already has a record number of internally displaced people. In October 2023, the number was estimated at 5.6 million, with most living in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika.
Rebel groups have fought the government and each other in eastern Congo for decades, battling for political dominance and control of the region’s rich mines.