CS Tuya Flies To Vietnam, Represents Ruto In Talks With Prime Minister
The talks involved Pham Min Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the sidelines of the ongoing 4th Session of the Partnering for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit
Marvin Chege 
Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Soipan Tuya travelled to Vietnam to represent President William Ruto as Special Envoy in bilateral talks with a delegation from the Republic of Vietnam.
The talks on Wednesday, April 16 involved Pham Min Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the sidelines of the ongoing 4th Session of the Partnering for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit in Hanoi.
Tuya stated that one of the main topics of discussion between the two countries was how they could collaborate more effectively to combat transnational organized crime.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya, alongside a delegation from the Vietnamese government, during a meeting on Wednesday, April 16. /SOIPAN TUYA
"We discussed several subjects of mutual interest to our two Republics including the shared desire to deepen diplomatic relations following the recent signing of an MOU on Diplomatic and Political Consultations in February," she stated on her social media accounts.
Tuya noted that Kenya is particularly keen to partner with Vietnam in Defence cooperation, manufacturing, universal health coverage, affordable housing and food security, sectors that underpin the Asian country's growing economy that attained a 7.09 percent growth in 2024.
"We also discussed the need for concerted efforts to tackle the growing challenge of transnational organised crimes as well as Vietnam's support for Kenya's desire to host the Global Plastics Treaty Secretariat at UNEP in Nairobi," she added.
P4G is a forum for global leaders and experts to share insights and showcase innovations to accelerate global climate finance and deliver country level climate transitions.
In recent months, Kenya and Vietnam have been in close communication, largely due to the arrest of Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan national caught in Vietnam for drug trafficking.
Nduta was arrested at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport after authorities found drugs hidden in her suitcase during an immigration check.
She was later sentenced to death by a Vietnamese court after being found guilty. However, public outcry—especially on social media—prompted the Kenyan government to initiate diplomatic talks in an effort to stop the execution and bring her back home.
On Friday, March 21, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei confirmed that a Kenyan delegation in Vietnam had managed to visit Nduta and reported that she was in stable condition. He added that diplomatic efforts were still ongoing to prevent her execution.
Collage of death row convict Margaret Macharia Nduta. /VIRAL TEA KE
