Alas, Europe is not at peace on this May 9 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. If we could have one birthday wish today, it would be peace for the people of Ukraine, and relief for those suffering the consequences of Russia’s aggression worldwide. We are heartened by the global outpouring of support for Ukraine and its people, their sovereignty and their freedom from foreign aggression.

Closer to Kenya, this past year has been a successful one for the relationship between Kenya, the EU and its Member States, or Team Europe as we like to call it. Following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to Brussels last June, we established a new EU-Kenya Strategic Dialogue which broadens and deepens our partnership, focusing on political, security and regional matters, sustainable development, as well as trade and investment. A first result-oriented strategic dialogue took place in January and we are confident that we will move from strength to strength. Together, the EU and Kenya carried their partnership forward into the AU-EU Summit in Brussels in February this year.

One very important mutual interest is the green transition, which focuses on preserving the planet for future generations. The drought that is currently affecting many parts of Kenya and is destroying many livelihoods serves as a painful reminder of the importance of tackling climate change. The EU is a long-standing supporter of the National Drought Management Authority and other green policy measures in Kenya. The EU has also increased its humanitarian aid in Kenya to respond to the life-threatening effects of the drought. Our theme for Europe Day 2022 is young Kenyans and the Green Transition.