The Netherlands and Kenya have very good areas of cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, Netherlands Ambassador to Kenya Maarten Brouwer has said.
Ambassador Brouwer, who is also the ambassador to Somalia and the Seychelles, made the remarks when he visited Wet Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin for bilateral trade engagement with a special focus on health, water, climate change, the environment, and security.
The talk mainly focused on the growth of cooperation movements through the Netherlands’ programme dubbed “Leave No One Behind.”
The envoy said his major reason for visiting West Pokot was to compare notes on the county’s priorities and how the Dutch government can work with the county on issues of health, water, and security, as well as how sustainable growth and climate change action can be promoted for a shared economic partnership.
Brouwer emphasised the need to implement programmes that focus on reducing poverty and promoting economic growth among the special groups in order to increase their resilience in the county.
He mentioned that the Dutch government encourages sustainable development and the fight against climate change, as well as finding means of reducing social inequality, implementing poverty eradication measures, and preventing conflict and instability across the world.
Ambassador Brouwer noted that it is important to support the special populations that are frequently marginalised due to their socioeconomic status, including youths, women, and people with disabilities.
The ambassador said that they also discussed at length with the governor the history of West Pokot County, historical Dutch engagement in the area, and potential collaboration opportunities available.
On his part, Governor Kachapin said that since the 1980s, the Dutch government has demonstrated a lot of commitment to the country and West Pokot County in particular, especially in the fight against TB. “Through their efforts, TB prevalence in the country has significantly decreased,” Kachapin added.
“In the 1980s, we had people from the Netherlands who invested heavily in the health sector in our county. The Netherlands, through the Dutch Health Organisation (PDHO), a community-based organisation in Kenya, has had an instrumental role in aiding the county in its efforts to create a tuberculosis (TB) isolation centre dubbed Manyattas in Kacheliba and Sigor areas,” the governor highlighted.
Governor Kachapin noted that West Pokot has a wealth of opportunities available, including in climate, health, water, security, and the environment.
The governor thanked the Dutch government for their programmes in West Pokot, which have helped many locals improve their standard of living.
By Anthony Melly
