04.29.07
Seychelles and Kenya sign Trade Pact
A new bilateral agreement has been signed between Seychelles and Kenya. The mayors of Victoria and Nairobi have signed a pact that provide for increasing trade between the 2 capitals.
Both Victoria mayor Mrs Florence Benstrong and Nairobi mayor Dick Wathika agreed that despite the fact that the 2 cities are located near, trade between them is limited.
Nairobi mayor said that, for example, Kenyan flowers are imported to Seychelles from a 3rd party, not directly from Nairobi. Victoria mayor confirmed that, despite the availability of 3 Kenya Airways flights per week to Island Mahe, where Victoria is located, Kenyan flowers come into Seychelles through Mauritius, situated thousands of kilometres to the south.
Also, Seychelles enjoys imported food crops, which could be easily imported from Kenya, from Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Both mayors hope that the signing of the pact will change and improve the current situation.
Trade between Seychelles and Kenya is minimal but, nevertheless, many islanders of Seychelles have links with the locals in Kenya and fly there regularly. Nairobi mayor hopes that the pact will help to develop infrastructure links necessary to promote tourism between Seychelles and Kenya.