Kenya-Burundi Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation
Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, alongside his counterpart, Amb. Albert Shingiro, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation of the Republic of Burundi, on Wednesday officiated the successful conclusion of the 3rd Session of the Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation (JPCC) between the two nations in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation (JPCC) is a formal bilateral mechanism that has been established between two countries to manage and strengthen their diplomatic, economic, and technical relations through regular dialogue and cooperation. It entails the regular convening of consultations between representatives from both governments, typically at the ministerial or senior official level, to evaluate progress, resolve issues, and develop joint initiatives.
The Kenya Burindi JPCC marked a transformative step in the bilateral relations of the two countries as the two leaders oversaw the signing of seven instruments of cooperation in the fields of Correctional Services, Mining, Immigration matters, Gender and Women Empowerment, Public Service Capacity Development, Trade, Investment and Technology Transfer.
In his remarks, Dr. Mudavadi reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to fostering deep and strategic bilateral ties observing that while Burundi remained an important trade partner to Kenya, there was urgent need to resolve outstanding issues such as repatriation of airline revenues and harmonization of immigration and resident permit fees.
The signing of the MoUs is strategic as it represents the two nations mutual desire to consolidate cooperation across sectors that are crucial for national development. The leaders expressed confidence in the countries’ shared vision for peace and regional stability, highlighting collaboration in regional peacekeeping and the importance of finalizing the Defence Cooperation Agreement.
On his part, Amb. Shingiro commended the session as a historic milestone, stating that “we engage as equal partners in the quest to improve the life of our people and address common challenges including poverty, peace and security, climate change, and SDGs.” He advocated for increased consultations and emphasized the need of integrating women into the economy, improving digital and technical collaboration, and capitalizing on regional prospects under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Other officials taking part in the deliberations included Amb. Dennis Mburu, Deputy Director General for Africa Affairs from Kenya, Amb. Ernest Niyokindi, Director General for Bilateral Relations from Burundi, Kenya’s Ambassador to Burundi, Amb. Daniel Wambura, Burundi’s Ambassador to Kenya, Amb. Evelyne Habonimana, as well as representatives from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of the two countries.
The leaders underscored the enduring friendship between Kenya and Burundi, grounded in mutual trust, African solidarity, a shared vision of sustainable development and regional integration towards the actualization of Agenda 2063.