At the Africa–France summit in Nairobi, leaders pitched billion-Euro partnerships to drive growth and climate resilience while on Kenya’s coast, mangrove restoration is already delivering both at the grassroots level.

Mangrove Restoration Gains Ground in Mombasa

The visit comes as the Islamic republic tries to shore up diplomatic support to ease its international isolation, with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also due to travel to Uganda and Zimbabwe this week on the first Africa tour by an Iranian leader in 11 years.

In addition to meeting Kenyan President William Ruto, Raisi will head to Uganda later Wednesday for talks with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni and see Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday.

Africa has emerged as a diplomatic battleground in recent months, with Russia and the West also trying to court support over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, which has had a devastating economic impact on the continent, sending food prices soaring.

Western powers have also sought to deepen trade ties with the continent, along with India and China, which has been on an infrastructure spending spree in Africa.

Raisi described his visit to Kenya as "a turning point in the development of relations between (the) two countries".

He said his talks with Ruto reflected "the determination and resolve of both countries for expansion of economic and trade cooperation, political cooperation, cultural cooperation".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-president-ebrahim-raisi-delays-africa-tour-says-kenya-614358">Iran President Ebrahim Raisi delays Africa tour, says Kenya</a>

Ruto described Iran as "a critical strategic partner for Kenya" and said the two governments had signed five MoUs (memoranda of understanding) focusing on areas including information technology, investment promotion and fisheries.

"These memoranda will enhance and further deepen our bilateral relations for sustainable growth and development between our two countries."

Ruto told reporters that Raisi had also shared plans for Iran to set up a plant in the port city of Mombasa "to manufacture an indigenous Iranian vehicle that has now been given the Kiswahili name, 'Kifaru', meaning rhino."

According to Iran's official IRNA news agency, Raisi is heading a delegation that includes the foreign minister as well as senior businesspeople.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani earlier expressed optimism that the three-day trip could help bolster economic and trade ties with African nations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-men-hanged-in-public-over-shrine-attack-in-iran-613343">Two men hanged in public for attack on shrine in Iran that killed 13 people</a>

He also said on Monday that Tehran and the African continent share "common political views", without elaborating further.

Iran has stepped up its diplomacy in recent months to reduce its isolation and offset the impact of crippling sanctions reimposed since the 2018 withdrawal of the United States from a painstakingly negotiated nuclear deal.

On Saturday, Raisi welcomed Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in a bid to boost ties with Algiers.

Last week, Iran became a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which includes Russia, China and India.

In March, Tehran agreed to restore ties with regional rival Saudi Arabia under a China-mediated deal. It has since been looking to re-establish relations with other countries in the region including Egypt and Morocco.

In June, Raisi undertook a Latin American tour that included Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba before a trip to Indonesia. 
 
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The visit comes as the Islamic republic tries to shore up diplomatic support to ease its international isolation, with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also due to travel to Uganda and Zimbabwe this week on the first Africa tour by an Iranian leader in 11 years.

The visit comes as the Islamic republic tries to shore up diplomatic support to ease its international isolation, with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also due to travel to Uganda and Zimbabwe this week on the first Africa tour by an Iranian leader in 11 years. In addition to meeting Kenyan President William Ruto, Raisi will head to Uganda later Wednesday for talks with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni and see Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday. Africa has emerged as a diplomatic battleground in recent months, with Russia and the West also trying to court support over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, which has had a devastating economic impact on the continent, sending food prices soaring. Western powers have also sought to deepen trade ties with the continent, along with India and China, which has been on an infrastructure spending spree in Africa. Raisi described his visit to Kenya as "a turning point in the development of relations between (the) two countries". He said his talks with Ruto reflected "the determination and resolve of both countries for expansion of economic and trade cooperation, political cooperation, cultural cooperation". Also read | Iran President Ebrahim Raisi delays Africa tour, says Kenya Ruto described Iran as "a critical strategic partner for Kenya" and said the two governments had signed five MoUs (memoranda of understanding) focusing on areas including information technology, investment promotion and fisheries. "These memoranda will enhance and further deepen our bilateral relations for sustainable growth and development between our two countries." Ruto told reporters that Raisi had also shared plans for Iran to set up a plant in the port city of Mombasa "to manufacture an indigenous Iranian vehicle that has now been given the Kiswahili name, 'Kifaru', meaning rhino." According to Iran's official IRNA news agency, Raisi is heading a delegation that includes the foreign minister as well as senior businesspeople. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani earlier expressed optimism that the three-day trip could help bolster economic and trade ties with African nations. Also read | Two men hanged in public for attack on shrine in Iran that killed 13 people He also said on Monday that Tehran and the African continent share "common political views", without elaborating further. Iran has stepped up its diplomacy in recent months to reduce its isolation and offset the impact of crippling sanctions reimposed since the 2018 withdrawal of the United States from a painstakingly negotiated nuclear deal. On Saturday, Raisi welcomed Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in a bid to boost ties with Algiers. Last week, Iran became a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which includes Russia, China and India. In March, Tehran agreed to restore ties with regional rival Saudi Arabia under a China-mediated deal. It has since been looking to re-establish relations with other countries in the region including Egypt and Morocco. In June, Raisi undertook a Latin American tour that included Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba before a trip to Indonesia. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Iran and Kenya leaders sign trade agreements, pledge to strengthen ties

Esther Wanjiru started using&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in&nbsp;Kenya.

"I am a heavy junkie, I usually need two doses," said Wanjiru, 22, as she puts the needle to a damaged vein, surrounded by about 60 other addicts in a clearing behind a church in a Nairobi slum.

Once just a passing stop on the trafficking route to Europe,&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;is becoming a major destination in itself for&nbsp;heroin, with addiction rising as tonnes of powder pass through East Africa.

These days a hit costs as little as 120 shillings (USD$1.10/0.90 euros), creating a devastating path to dependence for poor, troubled Kenyans like Wanjiru.

Wanjiru says she will do anything, even crime or prostitution, to get hold of the drug.

Heroin&nbsp;once reached Europe via the "Balkan Route": smuggled from the poppy fields of Afghanistan overland through the Middle East to capitals in the west.

But the Syrian conflict and border controls that tightened as waves of migrants sought refuge in Europe forced traffickers to change tack.&nbsp;

They turned to the sea to get around the problem.&nbsp;Heroin&nbsp;was put on ships and sailed across the Indian Ocean to the porous eastern coast of Africa, and mulled northward to Europe.

The&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;connect&nbsp;

Mombasa became the main port of arrival.&nbsp;Kenya, a beacon of security in a volatile region, but rife with corruption and lacking oversight, offered smugglers a reliable place to offload their product. &nbsp;

"Narcotraffickers are really identifying&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;as being one of the most stable countries in the region," said Amado De Andres, a former regional director for East Africa at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The lion's share of the&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;hauled ashore, estimated by UNODC at 42 tonnes annually, was earmarked for distant markets.&nbsp;

But in time, local interest steadily grew.

Traffickers kept around five tonnes aside for regional sale as demand for&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;flourished into a $150-million (125-million-euro) business, with most buyers in&nbsp;Kenya.

"Kenya&nbsp;was formerly a transit route, and has increasingly become a destination for&nbsp;heroin," said Victor Okioma, the head of the government-run National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA).

In 2018, the Ministry of Health estimated 27,000 people were injecting or smoking&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;in a survey of one-third of&nbsp;Kenya's counties.&nbsp;

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, a Geneva-based NGO, estimated 55,000 injectors alone, pointing to a higher overall figure.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/myanmar-drug-surge-worry-for-neighbours-including-india-381602">Myanmar drug surge worry for neighbours including India</a>

It is now the second-most consumed drug in the country of nearly 50 million behind cannabis, NACADA says.

Around 1 per cent of teenagers aged 14-18 years had admitted using the highly addictive drug, Okioma said.&nbsp;

"Heroin&nbsp;is being consumed even in primary schools," he said.

Covid curse

Kenya&nbsp;created a coastguard in 2018, bolstered container checks at Mombasa's ports, and recently began participating in an Interpol-led drug detection program at its international airport in Nairobi.

Seizures of&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;and morphine have increased tenfold in Africa between 2008 and 2018 and the majority were made in East Africa, according to the UNODC.&nbsp;

But&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;still finds its way to users like Wanjiru, and others facing hard times.

"I can assure you, the number of users is growing also because now of the situation of Covid," John Kimani, the executive director of KeNPUD, a Kenyan harm reduction program.

"There's depression....&nbsp;people lost jobs," and turned to drugs.

Kenya&nbsp;has been expanding access to methadone, a&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;substitute, which helps keeps withdrawal symptoms at bay and allows addicts to wean off the drug.

The UNODC says there are around 10 clinics serving an estimated 7,000&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;addicts in&nbsp;Kenya, but they can't reach all in need.

The nearest clinic to James Kwenga is on the other side of Nairobi, and transport costs about 150 shillings ($1.30, 1.16 euros).

"I can't afford that every day, because I don't have a job," said the homeless man. "If they can't come near here, many people can't beat this drug."

Esther Wanjiru started using heroin at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in Kenya.

Esther Wanjiru started using heroin at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in Kenya. "I am a heavy junkie, I usually need two doses," said Wanjiru, 22, as she puts the needle to a damaged vein, surrounded by about 60 other addicts in a clearing behind a church in a Nairobi slum. Once just a passing stop on the trafficking route to Europe, Kenya is becoming a major destination in itself for heroin, with addiction rising as tonnes of powder pass through East Africa. These days a hit costs as little as 120 shillings (USD$1.10/0.90 euros), creating a devastating path to dependence for poor, troubled Kenyans like Wanjiru. Wanjiru says she will do anything, even crime or prostitution, to get hold of the drug. Heroin once reached Europe via the "Balkan Route": smuggled from the poppy fields of Afghanistan overland through the Middle East to capitals in the west. But the Syrian conflict and border controls that tightened as waves of migrants sought refuge in Europe forced traffickers to change tack. They turned to the sea to get around the problem. Heroin was put on ships and sailed across the Indian Ocean to the porous eastern coast of Africa, and mulled northward to Europe. The Kenya connect Mombasa became the main port of arrival. Kenya, a beacon of security in a volatile region, but rife with corruption and lacking oversight, offered smugglers a reliable place to offload their product. "Narcotraffickers are really identifying Kenya as being one of the most stable countries in the region," said Amado De Andres, a former regional director for East Africa at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The lion's share of the heroin hauled ashore, estimated by UNODC at 42 tonnes annually, was earmarked for distant markets. But in time, local interest steadily grew. Traffickers kept around five tonnes aside for regional sale as demand for heroin flourished into a $150-million (125-million-euro) business, with most buyers in Kenya. "Kenya was formerly a transit route, and has increasingly become a destination for heroin," said Victor Okioma, the head of the government-run National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA). In 2018, the Ministry of Health estimated 27,000 people were injecting or smoking heroin in a survey of one-third of Kenya's counties. The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, a Geneva-based NGO, estimated 55,000 injectors alone, pointing to a higher overall figure. Also read | Myanmar drug surge worry for neighbours including India It is now the second-most consumed drug in the country of nearly 50 million behind cannabis, NACADA says. Around 1 per cent of teenagers aged 14-18 years had admitted using the highly addictive drug, Okioma said. "Heroin is being consumed even in primary schools," he said. Covid curse Kenya created a coastguard in 2018, bolstered container checks at Mombasa's ports, and recently began participating in an Interpol-led drug detection program at its international airport in Nairobi. Seizures of heroin and morphine have increased tenfold in Africa between 2008 and 2018 and the majority were made in East Africa, according to the UNODC. But heroin still finds its way to users like Wanjiru, and others facing hard times. "I can assure you, the number of users is growing also because now of the situation of Covid," John Kimani, the executive director of KeNPUD, a Kenyan harm reduction program. "There's depression.... people lost jobs," and turned to drugs. Kenya has been expanding access to methadone, a heroin substitute, which helps keeps withdrawal symptoms at bay and allows addicts to wean off the drug. The UNODC says there are around 10 clinics serving an estimated 7,000 heroin addicts in Kenya, but they can't reach all in need. The nearest clinic to James Kwenga is on the other side of Nairobi, and transport costs about 150 shillings ($1.30, 1.16 euros). "I can't afford that every day, because I don't have a job," said the homeless man. "If they can't come near here, many people can't beat this drug."

Formerly a transit route to Europe, Kenya becomes heroin hub

India&#39;s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Thursday that three Indian girls had been rescued from Kenya.&nbsp;

Swaraj said the girls were victims of an &quot;organised crime syndicated that indulged in trafficking of girls&quot;.&nbsp;

She added that seven Nepalese girls had also been rescued.&nbsp;

Swaraj said the girls&#39; passports and phones had been taken from them and that they were being held captive in Mombasa.&nbsp;

Swaraj added that the Indian girls had been flown back to the country, and that the ministry of external affairs was &quot;sharing details&quot; with the government of Punjab so that a case can be registered against the agents and other people involved in the trafficking.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I appreciate the efforts of Ms.Suchitra Durai, Indian High Commissioner in Kenya. Our First Secretary Karan Yadav deserves a special mention. We thank the Kenyan Police for their help./3 <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiainKenya?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiainKenya</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/capt_amarinder?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@capt_amarinder</a>
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/948765376816365569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It is unclear when the girls were taken to Kenya.&nbsp;

Swaraj said the girls, who have been flown back to India, were being held captive in Mombasa

India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Thursday that three Indian girls had been rescued from Kenya. Swaraj said the girls were victims of an "organised crime syndicated that indulged in trafficking of girls". She added that seven Nepalese girls had also been rescued. Swaraj said the girls' passports and phones had been taken from them and that they were being held captive in Mombasa. Swaraj added that the Indian girls had been flown back to the country, and that the ministry of external affairs was "sharing details" with the government of Punjab so that a case can be registered against the agents and other people involved in the trafficking. I appreciate the efforts of Ms.Suchitra Durai, Indian High Commissioner in Kenya. Our First Secretary Karan Yadav deserves a special mention. We thank the Kenyan Police for their help./3 @IndiainKenya @capt_amarinder — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 4, 2018 × It is unclear when the girls were taken to Kenya.

Have rescued 3 Indian girls from Kenya: Sushma Swaraj

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