NAIROBI, 12 Jul: Iran’s president has begun a rare visit to Africa as his country, which is under heavy U.S. economic sanctions, seeks to deepen other partner-ships around the world.
President Ebrahim Raisi’s visits to Kenya and Uganda on Wednesday represent the first to the African continent by an Iranian leader in more than a decade. He is also visiting Zimbabwe.
Africa is a “continent of opportunities” and a great platform for Iranian prod-ucts, Raisi told journalists in Kenya. He didn’t take questions. “None of us is satisfied with the current volume of trade,” he said.
Iran’s leader specifically mentioned Africa’s mineral resources and Iran’s petroc-hemical experience, but the five memoranda of under-standing signed on Wednes-day by the Islamic Republic and Kenya appeared not to address either one. Instead, they addressed information, communication and techn-ology; fisheries; animal health and livestock production and investment promotion.
Kenyan President William Ruto called Iran a “critical strategic partner” and “global innovation powerhouse.” Tea accounts for the bulk of Kenya’s exports to Iran, but Ruto expressed interest in expanding the range of agricultural exports.
Iran intends to set up a manufacturing plant for Iranian vehicles in Kenya’s port city of Mombasa, Ruto added.
Raisi’s Africa visit is meant to “promote economic diplomacy, strengthen political relations with friendly and aligned countries, and diversify the export destinations,” Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement upon his arrival.
Last month, Iran’s leader made his first visit to Latin America, stopping in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties in a major diplomatic breakth-rough. (AP)