In the morning of May 11 local time, Premier Li Keqiang visited the National Youth Service (NYS) in Kenya.
The NYS is the first institute Kenya established since its independence, which aims at mobilizing the public to build their homeland and reducing youth unemployment rate. Currently, the young members of the NYS totaled about 40,000 with their ages ranging from 18 to 24, including those from poverty-stricken families, orphans and other disadvantaged groups in particular. The NYS lays emphasis on undertaking the construction of the national infrastructure, project contracting, public welfare establishments and other projects. In recent years, China has actively provided professional and technical training and construction machinery equipments for the NYS, and assisted its members to improve their professional skills.
Upon Li Keqiang’s arrival, Deputy President William Ruto of Kenya and the heads of the NYS greeted him and the members of the NYS lined up and waved the national flags of China and Kenya to greet the distinguished Chinese guests.
Li Keqiang visited the project panels together with Ruto, and asked about the details of the operation of the NYS, China-Kenya project cooperation and so on.
On the playground, various kinds of construction machinery equipments were placed in order. The project directors of both China and Kenya introduced that by strengthening technical training, all the NYS members trained here have obtained jobs. Li Keqiang praised that the project creates a new mode of bilateral cooperation, which not only makes use of Chinese equipment and technical advantage, but also promotes local employment, thus can be popularized in Africa.
Shortly afterwards, Li Keqiang boarded a mobile maintenance vehicle for a careful inspection. The NYS members demonstrated on the spot well drilling, fire fighting, crane hoisting and other operations, and Li Keqiang watched with great interest. He said to the NYS members that youth employment is the hope of a country, and you represent the future of Kenya. Li Keqiang also encouraged the Chinese staff and said that you are also young people and have started businesses overseas, and you are going global on behalf of China and also stand for the bright future of the China-Kenya cooperation.