Kenya’s President William Ruto lands in Ethiopia on his first official visit to the region

By : Zakeriye ahmed Horndiplomat Correspondent

Kenya’s new President, William Ruto, arrives in Addis Ababa today for his first official visit to the region. Abiy Ahmed Ali, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia and other senior officials received him upon his arrival at Bole International Airport.

Ruto will hold a bilateral talk with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on regional and international issues. A visit comes a day after both the Ethiopia federal government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front accepted the African Union’s peace talks invitation between them, which are scheduled to take place in South Africa.

On September 23, President Ruto interviewed France 24 about Ethiopia’s issues and said, “We are very concerned because that our neighbourhood, whatever happens in Ethiopia, gets to Kenya. We are the two largest economies in that corner; therefore, a faltering Ethiopia weakens Kenya. Therefore, it is important for us to get involved”. “That’s why when I took over, I asked President Kenyatta, my predecessor, to continue the effort of the process that has started so that we can find a resolution of the conflict in Ethiopia,” he added.

Previously President Ruto expressed his confidence in an African Union framework for bringing the Ethiopian federal government and TPLF to the discussion table.

President Ruto is expected to attend the launching event of Kenya’s largest telecommunications provider’s new office in Ethiopia.