Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang paid a courtesy call on Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir of Mombasa County during her visit to the city of Mombasa on 21-23 April 2024. The two officials discussed their shared interest in the blue economy, with the Philippines being an archipelagic country and Mombasa being a major port city along the Indian Ocean coast.

Governor Nassir mentioned the ongoing infrastructure projects and the creation of a new special economic zone in Mombasa and invited the Philippines to become a partner in supporting the county’s development goals. He also expressed Mombasa’s hope to learn from the best practices of port cities in the Philippines, including by entering into sister-city arrangements.

Ambassador Tang commended Governor Nassir and the county government for their efforts to bring development to the citizens of Mombasa. She also emphasized the value of promoting people-to-people exchanges with Mombasa, including through tourism and sports. Amb. Tang also paid a courtesy call to Captain William Ruto, the Managing Director of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

Capt. Ruto described the Philippines as a leader in the blue economy and noted that every ship that docks at the Mombasa Port is likely to have a Filipino seafarer in it, a testament to the strong presence of the Philippines in the global maritime sector. Both officials further discussed potential collaboration on capacity-building in the sector.

Following the meeting, KPA officials provided Ambassador Tang with a tour of the facilities of the Mombasa Port, one of the busiest ports in East Africa which services not only Kenya but also the landlocked countries of Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda, as well as the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Mombasa, the smallest of the 47 counties in Kenya, has maintained its centuries-old position as a hub for regional and international trade. Mombasa City is the oldest in Kenya and is the country’s second-largest after Nairobi. Mombasa’s fine beaches and rich cultural heritage, along with the presence of a major international seaport, airport, and railway, have long made the city a popular destination both for tourists and investors.