Edinburgh, Scotland

President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged the Scotland business community to invest more in Kenya by taking advantage of the country ever improving business environment.

The President pledged that his administration will continue supporting Scottish businesses and thanked them for their fast growing presence in Kenya.

Ewan Andrews, Uhuru Kenyatta, Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Manoah Esipisu. PHOTO/STATE HOUSE

The Head of State was speaking at the Johnnie Walker headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland hosted by Ewan Andrews, Diageo Global Supply Chain Director and Chief Sustainability Officer, when he met the Scottish Africa Business Association (SABA) on Wednesday morning.

PHOTO/STATE HOUSE

SABA is a membership organization of companies in Scotland which have commercial interests in the African continent.

Uhuru and the Scottish investors agreed during a roundtable meeting hosted by Diageo to explore new investment opportunities in agriculture, water, renewable energy and fisheries.

PHOTO/STATE HOUSE

Diageo is one of the leading global beverage manufacturers and has majority stakes in the East African Breweries (EABL), the market leader in beer manufacturer in Kenya.

The Scottish industry key players pledged to continue exploring Kenya's socio-economic development through win-win economic partnerships as well as Kenya’s green future.

PHOTO/STATE HOUSE

On her part, UK Secretary for International Trade, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, lauded steps made by Kenya to bring practical solutions in many areas, saying Scottish businesses had invested Sh22billion in the country and that more was coming to boost economic development.

She said more investors from Scotland would invest in the companies of the future that embrace clean growth and looked forward to signing more deals on free trade with Kenya.

PHOTO/STATE HOUSE

Trevelyan challenged UK businesses to take advantage of opportunities for trade available across Kenya, especially on sustainability.

Other top organizations in Scotland with key interests in Kenya include the James Hutton Institute of the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen involved in seed potato research.

PHOTO/STATE HOUSE

Another is The City of Glasgow College, which is supporting the Bandari College in an effort to become a top maritime centre of excellence to be emulated across the African continent.

PHOTO/STATE HOUSE

President Kenyatta was flanked by Energy CS Dr Monica Juma, State House Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy and Policy Ruth Kagia and Kenya's High Commissioner to the UK Manoah Esipisu.

Mac Otani. PHOTO/SELFIE

Uhuru is in Scotland attending the ongoing 26th COP26 UN Climate Change Conference as well as holding other crucial meetings of interest to Kenya.