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Canada–Kenya relations

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Canada–Kenya relations

Canada–Kenya relations are foreign relations between Canada and Kenya. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1965. Canada has a high commission in Nairobi. The High Commission of Kenya in Ottawa is located in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood in the capital.

Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The Canadian government announced in February 2009 that it was dropping Kenya from its list of preferred countries to receive foreign aid. This list includes 18 countries and the West Bank and Caribbean.

Political

Controversy developed in 1989 when Kenyan leader Daniel arap Moi recalled the high commissioner to Canada. Two weeks earlier Somali Canadians had held a protest outside the Kenyan High Commission in Ottawa over a new law requiring the registration of all ethnic Somalis in Kenya. Moi accused the Canadian government of approving the protest, and demanded an apology. Protests arranged by Moi's Kenya African National Union took place outside the Canadian High Commission and in other cities. In Mombasa an effigy of then High Commissioner Raynell Andreychuk was imprisoned in a street side stall.

In 2008 Canada pledged one million dollars worth of aid to Kenya after the disputed presidential election of President Mwai Kibaki. Canada posted a travel advisory to any of its citizens cautioning them about situation in Kenya. However, a few months later Canada lifted the advisory and stated that the two were back to "business as usual".

References

Canada–Kenya relations Wikipedia