Norway: Kenyan authorities cancel Crown Prince Haakon’s visit following former President’s death

NordenBladet – The Norwegian Royal Court announced in December that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon would visit Kenya and Mozambique in February of 2020. This morning, a new statement from the royal court stated that the visit to Kenya had been cancelled. This announcement comes just one week before the Crown Prince was scheduled to travel to Africa.

The statement from the royal court said: “The Kenyan authorities have cancelled all official programs and declared national mourning after former President Daniel arap Moi death’s on 4 February 2020. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince’s official visit to Kenya next week cannot be carried out as planned and is therefore postponed. The visit to Mozambique on 12 and 13 February 2020 goes as planned.”

The Crown Prince was set to arrive in Kenya on 10 February. A Norwegian business delegation was preparing to have an important part of the programme in Kenya. In addition, a meeting with President Kenyatta was scheduled. This would have been the first-ever official royal visit from Norway to Kenya. Minister of Development Dag-Inge Ulstein and Minister of Digitisation Nikolai Astrup will accompany the Crown Prince on his journey which will now only be to Mozambique.

On 12 February, the Crown Prince will arrive in Mozambique. Mozambique and Norway have worked together for a number of years, in areas such as energy, fisheries and the sea, good governance and support for civil society. The partnership with Mozambique includes development, political dialogue and business cooperation. The Crown Prince visited Mozambique previously in 2002.

Crown Prince Haakon will meet President Nyusi, various representatives of the authorities and key partners for Norway in energy cooperation, civil society, gender equality and the UN family. Electrification is central to bilateral cooperation, and the Crown Prince will be present as the village electrification network is expanded. Mozambique has some of the world’s largest natural gas resources, and Norway has for a long time worked with Mozambique to build a good management regime for gas and oil. This collaboration will also be on the programme during the visit, along with climate and ocean issues.