Embassy of Japan in Kenya
在ケニア日本国大使館

SIGNING OF THE EXCHANGE OF NOTES FOR A CULTURAL GRANT AID FOR THE NATIONAL MUSEUMS OF KENYA

Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Mr. Seiji Okada, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of Japan signing the Exchange Notes	Mr. Seiji Okada, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of Japan giving his speech

 

On the 23rd November, 2009, the Exchange of Notes for a Cultural Grant Aid to the National Museums of Kenya was signed and exchanged at the Ministry of Finance between Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, and Mr. Seiji Okada, Charge d’Affaires a.i, of Japan.

 

This Cultural Grant Aid is extended for the Project for the Improvement of the Equipment for Conservation of Palaeoanthropological Heritage and Audio-Visual Equipment at the Museums and amounts to approximately Ksh 51,200,000 (Japanese Yen 61,600,000).

 

Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta in his speech said that the conservation of our heritage is important for future generation and posterity, thus the Kenyan government is committed to ensure that we conserve our heritage. He expressed the sincere appreciation by the Kenyan Government for the past cultural grants extended by the Government of Japan.

Meanwhile, Mr. Okada remarked that over the several decades, many researchers from various Japanese Universities had visited Kenya and had been engaged in the research, excavation and conservation of ancient human fossils, especially in Lake Turkana region in close collaboration with the Museums, and in that process, they made many outstanding discoveries including Samburupithecus Kiptarani.

 

He added that today’s Cultural Grant Aid is intended to provide not only the equipments for conservation, preparation and casting for fossils, but also the equipments for producing new documentary videos. He further went on to say that the other audio-visual equipment donated for the outreach and lecture purpose would significantly contribute to the sensitization of local Kenyan citizens on the importance of preservation and conservation of the precious national heritage and culture in Kenya.

He finally expressed his sincere hope that all the equipments provided today will be fully and effectively utilized.

 

This was the second Cultural Grant Aid to the  Museums following the provision of research equipment valued at ¥36,500,000 in 1999 and including these two aids, the Government of Japan has extended to Kenya 16 Cultural Grant Aids totaling approximately 540 million Kenyan Shillings, which is equivalent to Japanese yen 654,000,000.