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The Kenyan government has signed economic deals worth $5 billion with China, which include building a new 600-mile railway to transport goods across the country.
The line will stretch from the border town of Malaba in the west to the busy port of Mombasa, carrying Kenyan goods as well as freight from Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The deals, signed by the country’s two presidents at a ceremony in Beijing, include $4 billion for economic partnerships, “wildlife protection”, the railway and another $1 billion for energy-related projects.
President Uhuru Kenyatta said: “We welcome the investment in key sectors of our economy. The rail link particularly is important in the context of East Africa’s shared goal of ensuring quicker movement of people, goods and services.”
President Xi said: “These agreements deepen our practical co-operation. China supports Kenya’s quest for industrialisation.”