Official visit to Kenya: Reception

Your Royal Highness

Ministers

Excellences

Dear hosts

Ladies and gentlemen

Mambo! Poa! It is a great pleasure to be here tonight – together with so many friends and partners from Kenya, Sweden, and Norway.

This reception is hosted by the Swedish and Norwegian ambassadors, and I would like to thank the Swedish embassy for sharing these wonderful surroundings with us. 

Here on Swedish ground, I hope you will enjoy Norwegian food and Kenyan music, to underscore that tonight is all about partnerships.

I would also like to thank you, Crown Princess Victoria. I greatly appreciate having this opportunity to visit Kenya with you, and to learn more about this diverse and beautiful country.

This week, we have experienced first-hand the important work of the UN and UNDP in advancing sustainable human development – an agenda that both of us are committed to internationally.

Trade and business cooperation have been given centre stage on this last day of my visit to Kenya. Our thematic focus has been on Pioneering Sustainable Solutions together.

This theme rings true in all our countries, as the world at large is facing widespread economic challenges due to ongoing conflicts and wars and the steadily worsening global climate crisis. 

This region is suffering from the worst drought in 60 years. Climate change is having an increasingly visible impact on coastal areas and the ocean. 

No country can deal with challenges on this scale on its own. As the Kenyan, Swedish and Norwegian companies taking part in today’s business seminar illustrate, the private sector has a key role to play in delivering the technology, capital and green solutions needed to confront global challenges and reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

I am sure Crown Princess Victoria will agree that these inspiring and promising days have reaffirmed how interconnected we all are. I hope this visit will lead to increased partnerships, networks and friendships and further strengthen the cooperation and economic ties between our countries.

Crown Princess Victoria, if I may invite you to join me here on stage?