NAIROBI, Kenya— President Ruto on Monday hosted His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho at State House, Nairobi, where the two leaders held talks focused on food security, nutrition and key African Union (AU) reform initiatives.
King Letsie III visited Kenya in his capacity as the African Union Champion on Nutrition, with discussions centring on efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition across the continent.
In a statement after the meeting, President Ruto said the leaders explored practical measures aimed at improving food security and strengthening nutrition programmes in Africa.
“We discussed food security in Africa and the urgent need to take measures that help bring an end to hunger and malnutrition in our continent,” Ruto said.
Talks on African Union reforms
Beyond food security, President Ruto briefed King Letsie III on the ongoing African Union reform process, which seeks to strengthen the continental body’s effectiveness and responsiveness.
According to the President, the discussions covered recent developments within the AU and efforts to make the institution better equipped to address the needs and aspirations of African citizens.
“I also briefed His Majesty on the deliberations on African Union reforms that are aimed at making the AU more efficient and responsive to the needs of citizens of the continent,” Ruto stated.
Ruto meets EAC Secretary-General
Separately, President Ruto also held talks with East African Community (EAC) Secretary-General Stephen Mbundi, with discussions focusing on regional integration, cross-border trade and the free movement of people.
The President noted that the East African Community remains Africa’s most integrated regional bloc but said there is significant room to increase trade among member states.
“As Africa’s most progressive regional bloc, intra-trade in the EAC is about 20 per cent, yet it can be scaled up to 50 per cent with the necessary strategic interventions,” Ruto said.
The leaders also discussed measures to deepen economic cooperation, including harmonising tariffs across the region to facilitate trade, create employment opportunities and promote economic growth.
Focus on regional prosperity
President Ruto and Mbundi reaffirmed the importance of the East African Community in advancing regional development, agreeing that stronger economic integration remains critical to improving livelihoods across member states.
They observed that reducing trade barriers and strengthening regional cooperation would enhance commerce, create jobs and contribute to shared prosperity throughout East Africa.