By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, August 18, 2026 - Kenya and Türkiye are seeking to deepen parliamentary cooperation and remove trade barriers as the two countries move to expand economic, diplomatic and institutional ties.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said Parliament would support efforts to create a platform for identifying and promoting opportunities in trade, investment, technology transfer and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Mr Wetang’ula made the remarks when he hosted a delegation of the Türkiye–Kenya Parliamentary Friendship Group led by Turkish MP İsmail Güneş Uşak and Kenya’s Adan Keynan, the chairman of the friendship group.
“During the engagement, I encouraged the group to focus on efforts to eliminate trade barriers between Kenya and Türkiye and to create a platform to identify and promote opportunities for increased trade, investment, technology transfer and economic cooperation between the two countries,” Mr Wetang’ula said.
The Speaker also commended Türkiye for its role in efforts to restore peace and stability in Somalia, recalling the contribution of then-President Abdullah Gül.
He said Mr Gül had demonstrated commitment to Somalia’s peace process, including by hosting a major conference in the country.
Mr Wetang’ula also acknowledged Türkiye’s role in conflict mitigation efforts in the Middle East, saying peace remained preferable to conflict.
“Peace is always better than conflict for humanity,” he said.
The Speaker further said Kenya appreciated Türkiye’s support for the country’s candidacy at the International Criminal Court (ICC), where Justice Njoki Ndung’u is seeking election as a judge.
He also commended outgoing Turkish Ambassador to Kenya Subutay Yüksel for his service, particularly his contribution to expanding educational scholarship opportunities for Kenyans.
The visit by the Turkish parliamentary delegation included a series of high-level engagements aimed at strengthening Parliament-to-Parliament relations and broader bilateral cooperation.
Mr Keynan said the Kenyan delegation held discussions with members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, focusing on strategic and diplomatic cooperation and areas of mutual interest.
The delegation also met Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss, where discussions centred on parliamentary diplomacy, institutional cooperation and legislative engagement.
The Turkish MPs later paid a courtesy call on Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi to discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation and strengthen links between Parliament and the Executive.
The visit concluded with a meeting with Mr Wetang’ula, during which the two sides discussed expanding parliamentary relations, legislative exchanges, institutional partnerships and people-to-people ties.
In a statement,Keynan said the engagements demonstrated the role of parliamentary diplomacy in translating the longstanding friendship between Kenya and Türkiye into practical partnerships.
“Taken together, these series of engagements reaffirm the strategic role of parliamentary diplomacy in translating the longstanding Kenya–Türkiye friendship into stronger institutional partnerships, expanded cooperation and tangible opportunities for our two nations,” he said.
Türkiye’s strategic position linking Asia and Europe has made it an important player in international trade and diplomacy, with Kenya seeking to leverage the relationship to expand economic opportunities and cooperation.
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