Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki Wednesday expressed appreciation for China's technical and financial support to Kenya.

Kibaki noted that over the last two years, China extended to Kenya over 12 billion shillings (about 149 million U.S. dollars) as grants and concessional loans towards the implementation of several key projects.

The President cited the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Gigiri road and by-passes in the capital Nairobi, provision of equipment to the National Youth Service, E-government and rural telecommunication as some of the projects that have received both technical and financial support from China in the last two and a half years.

President Kibaki was speaking Wednesday at his Harambee House office where he bade farewell to outgoing Chinese Ambassador Zhang Ming who is going back home after completing a two and a half year tour of duty in Kenya.

The Head of State said other projects supported by the Chinese Government include the National Power Distribution System Modernization project, expansion of Thika highway, the Geothermal Energy project and rehabilitation of Kasarani International Sports Center.

The President also thanked the outgoing ambassador for playing a leading role in the signing of a grant of three million U.S. dollars towards the famine relief fund this week.

The Head of State observed that during the outgoing ambassador's tour of duty, the number of Chinese tourists and investors in the country increased.

On his part, Zhang thanked President Kibaki and the government of Kenya for according him the necessary support that not only enabled him to fulfill his duties effectively but also made it possible for him to promote the bilateral ties between Kenya and China.

The outgoing ambassador assured President Kibaki that he will always work towards ensuring that the existing cooperation between the two countries is enhanced further even as he returns to China for other duties.

Source: Xinhua