Kenyan High Commissioner Prof Julius Bitok recently hosted an elegant dinner at his residence in Islamabad’s Diplomatic Enclave, to welcome the new Sudanese ambassador, Tageldin Elhadi, to Pakistan.

The Kenyan envoy’s grand residence was only recently completed, and the dinner also served as a housewarming. The Pakistani government was represented at the event by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chief of Protocol Tasawar Khan.

Speeches at the event emphasised the close cooperation between the three countries. Mr Bitol said trade is growing, and the volume of trade between Kenya and Pakistan currently stands at $600 million.

“Even after South Sudan was created five years ago, the northern part, the Sudan, is still Africa’s largest country in size. We don’t have a border with Kenya anymore, but we maintain close cooperation,” Mr Elhadi said.

Mr Bitok also suggested expanding tourism with Pakistan.

The Austrian ambassador, Brigitta Blaha, mentioned that she would be visiting east Africa next year in February, and said: “One of the things I will do is climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain with eternal snow.”

Mr Bitok said the mountain is now across the border in Tanzania, as it was given to Queen Elizabeth II as a gift when she married in 1952, when east Africa was still ruled by Britain.

“The wildlife and the opportunities for safaris are fantastic on both sides of the borders,” he added. “And there are several hundred thousand citizens of Pakistani, Indian and Sri Lankan origin in Kenya.”

Published in Dawn November 20th, 2016