President-elect Ruto holds talks with French President Macron

President-elect William Ruto has held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in regard to strengthening bilateral relations between Nairobi and Paris.

On a phonecall on Tuesday, Macron told Ruto of his desire to augment bilateral relations between Kenya and France noting that the two nations can work together to prioritize joint partnerships in the infrastructure, agriculture and health sectors.

"The President of the Republic (Macron) and President-elect Ruto talked about deepening the Franco-Kenyan relationship, within the framework of the dynamic created by the visit of the President of the Republic to Kenya in 2019 and as a priority in the fields of infrastructure, agriculture and health," the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president said on its website on Tuesday.

According to Macron's official residence, the French president also lauded Kenya for leveraging its position as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council to advance peace across Africa.

"The President of the Republic also paid tribute to the stabilizing role of Kenya in its regional environment and insisted on France's desire to continue the cooperation in progress within the framework of the United Nations Security Council and in support of the efforts of the African Union," said the Élysée Palace.

The phone call between Macron and Ruto comes three years after the French President and outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta inked deals to expand public-private partnerships between the two nations. 

The agreements signed by Macron and Kenyatta touched on the Big Four Agenda and renewable energy projects. 

The French president's March 2019 visit was the first time a French leader visited Nairobi since Kenya gained independence in 1963. 

Ruto is expected to officially assume office once he takes his oath of office on September 13, 2022.