Here Is What's On The Kenyan President's Mind As He Flies To China

President Kenyatta is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping. On 1st September, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived in Beijing, China, to attend the China-Africa Forum for Cooperation (FOCAC) 2018 summit.

The China-Africa summit brings together all African nations and China and aims to boost the continent's development.

The goal of the 2018 FOCAC meeting is the promotion of economic and trade cooperation between China and African economies as it seeks to synergize China's Belt and Road Initiative, the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union's Agenda 2063, and the development strategies of individual African countries.

During the summit, the Heads of State will discuss and ratify two major documents, the Beijing Action Plan 2019-2021 and the Beijing Declaration, which will act as guides for China-Africa relations.

More than 1,000 African representatives from over 600 enterprises, business groups, and research institutions are expected to grace a High-Level Dialogue between Chinese and African Leaders and Business Representatives, running from Monday to Tuesday as part of a series of conferences under the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

While in Beijing, President Kenyatta who in a past week has transverse three continents and met three world leaders, will witness the signing of an Economic and Investment Cooperation Agreement between China and Kenya.

President Kenyatta is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping with the talks focusing on trade, infrastructure, investments, education and technology.

Advanced discussions on financing for Phase 2B of the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Kisumu is on top of President Kenyatta's agenda.

Financing for the Western Bypass in Nairobi is also expected to feature prominently in their talks.

President Kenyatta's discussions are also expected to advance Kenya's shift away from pure debt financing with new emphasis being placed on Private Public Partnerships and the need to explore innovative off-balance sheet financing for the country's infrastructure needs.

China is one of Kenya's strongest trading allies and has been instrumental in financing and construction of the country's largest infrastructure project since independence, the Standard Gauge Railway,

The first phase from Mombasa to Nairobi is already operational and the construction of Nairobi-Naivasha section is currently underway.