Theresa May to visit Three African Nations for the First time as U.K PM

 

Image result for theresa may visit to africa

Prime Minister Theresa May this week will travel to Kenya and two other African nations as she seeks to emphasize the trading opportunities open to the U.K. as it leaves the European Union.

The premier will meet with her counterparts in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya on a five-day visit accompanied by 29 business executives ranging from FTSE 100 bank Standard Chartered Plc to London-based start-up Farm.ink, which has created an information-sharing mobile platform for farmers.

May will meet President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday and later travel to see British soldiers training troops from Kenya and other African countries.

Image result for theresa may visit to africa

Soldiers are being trained on the techniques needed to identify and destroy IEDs used by terror group al Shabaab.

 

“She will also commit to helping support the next generation of energetic, ambitious young Kenyans as they seek to build a more prosperous country in the years ahead,” May’s office said. “The Prime Minister’s central message will be focused on a renewed partnership between the UK and Africa,” the statement adds.

May is trying to strengthen ties with economies outside the EU as the clock ticks down towards Britain’s scheduled departure from the world’s largest trade bloc in March.

Image result for theresa may visit to africa

May said: “The trip is a unique opportunity at a unique time for the UK to set out our ambition to work even closer together.”

She hailed Africa as standing right on the cusp of playing a transformative role in the global economy.

“A more prosperous, growing and trading Africa is in all of our interests and its incredible potential will only be realised through a concerted partnership between governments, global institutions, and business,” the PM added.

Image result for theresa may visit to africa

With just seven months left before the March 29 exit, concern is growing in the financial markets that negotiations could break down without an agreement.

The prime minister has ordered her top officials to attend a special cabinet meeting on Sept. 13, with a focus on contingency planning for a departure without an agreement, according to sources. The meeting, as reported ,will take stock of preparations so far and plan what further actions are needed.

 

U.K. ministers are split on the impact of a no-deal Brexit. Last week, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond warned Britain would be 80 billion pounds ($103 billion) worse off without an agreement. But in an interview with The Sunday Times, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said such forecasts should be treated with “a measure of caution” because they’ve been “wrong” in the past.

 

Related image

While it’s May’s first visit to the region as premier, she visited Tunisia as Home Secretary. It’s also the first visit by a U.K. premier to sub-Saharan Africa since 2013, and the first to Kenya — a British protectorate until 1962 — in more than 30 years.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *