US President Barack Obama and leaders in the East African Community telephoned President Uhuru Kenyatta in the wake of the fire that destroyed the arrivals lounge at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The US President told the Kenyan leader he stood with Kenya at what was a difficult time, and offered US support in ensuring that normal services resumed as quickly as possible at the region’s main air travel hub.
Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, as well as Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn all telephoned President Kenyatta to offer support, including the use of airports in their own countries while Kenya worked to put JKIA back to normal operation.
President Kenyatta also received a call from the President of the African Development Bank Dr Donald Kaberuka, as well as senior executives from the World Bank, who had immediate offers of financing the rehabilitation of the airport.
“We are encouraged by the support of the US President, my brothers the regional leaders, as well as major financial institutions who all want to see the regional air hub back on its feet quickly,” President Kenyatta said.
“We are determined that normal operations resume at the airport quickly, and are glad to see that a partial reopening has already taken place, with successful domestic flight operations,” President Kenyatta added.
In the context of the 15th anniversary of the bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi, President Obama requested President Kenyatta to convey his solidarity and sympathy to all families that were affected by the 1998 disaster.
PSCU
August 8, 2013
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