Prime Minister Boris Johnson will welcome President Uhuru Kenyatta to his country residence for talks later today (28 July) – as the UK announces it will send 817,000 COVID-19 vaccines in the other direction to boost Kenya’s vaccination programme.

The two leaders will toast the huge strides made in the last 18 months on the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership, just as the UK reinforced its support on COVID-19 with the vaccine donation. The Oxford-AstraZeneca doses – half through a direct bilateral donation, and half through a UK donation to the COVAX facility – will be shipped from the UK to Kenya as soon as possible in the coming days.

Since they agreed the Strategic Partnership in Downing Street the last time President Kenyatta visited in London in January 2020, Kenya and the UK have strengthened cooperation in all areas. In their meeting, they are expected to welcome the new five-year Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) agreed during this visit, yesterday’s launch of the Nairobi International Finance Centre, and new deals on affordable housing and infrastructure.

The two will take a long walk around the grounds of Chequers, the Prime Minister’s official country residence in Buckinghamshire, planting a tree to mark the Kenya-UK Year of Climate Action.

Then Tomorrow, the Prime Minister and President will co-chair the Global Education Summit, to raise $5 billion (KES 540 billion) for educating the world’s poorest in the next five years.

Speaking before their bilateral talks, President Uhuru Kenyatta said:

“This visit has presented a unique opportunity to reaffirm our commitments to the long-standing bilateral relations between Kenya and the UK, that are founded on shared values and similar aspirations of enhanced cooperation for sustained socio-economic prosperity for our two peoples.”

Speaking ahead of today’s meeting, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

The UK and Kenya share a long and rich history, but this is a relationship that is focused on the future.

As friends and allies, we are sharing UK vaccine doses to support Kenya’s fight against the pandemic. From boosting economic growth to addressing climate change and getting girls into school, the UK and Kenya are working hand-in-hand to deliver a more secure and prosperous world.

I look forward to welcoming President Kenyatta today to drive that agenda forward, and to joining forces tomorrow to raise vital funds at the Global Education Summit in London.

The two leaders are expected to praise the tremendous progress across all the five pillars of our Strategic Partnership since it was agreed 18 months ago.

• Mutual Prosperity: A new Economic Partnership Agreement was ratified in May of this year, to boost trade worth already KES 200 billion a year. Through CDC, the UK’s development finance institution, the UK has invested KES 30 billion in 72 Kenyan companies which support 28,204 jobs in Kenya.
• Security and Stability: The new Defence Cooperation Agreement ensures our continued joint fight against Al-Shabaab, and close cooperation between our militaries on land, sea and air. Together we are tackling shared threats including violent extremism and terrorism.
• Sustainable Development: In addition to co-chairing the Global Education Summit, Kenya and the UK have had an extremely strong partnership on COVID-19. We also announced a donation of 817,000 COVID-19 vaccines to support Kenya’s vaccination effort, in addition to support on genomic sequencing, and joint work between Kenyan and UK scientists to trial the AstraZeneca vaccine.
• Climate change: A Kenya-UK Year of Climate Action has driven Kenyan leadership in the region, along with a joint action plan on tackling climate change. UK expertise has supported the development of both green finance and green manufacturing in Kenya. The UK Space Agency has developed satellite monitoring of Kenyan forests, which is being rolled out across the country.
• People to People: Links between our universities and research institutions continue to grow, along with new visa routes open to Kenyans who want to work and study in the UK.

Jane Marriott, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, said:

Eighteen months on from their last meeting in Downing Street, our two leaders have a huge amount to celebrate across all areas of our Strategic Partnership, including how we have tackled the immense challenges of COVID-19 together. From trade, to security, development, and climate change, our partnership and cooperation is richer than ever, to both our countries benefit. I’m excited to continue expanding that in the years ahead: the sky is the limit what our two countries can do together!

Manoah Esipisu, the Kenyan High Commissioner to the UK, said:

Discussions today are an important step in reviewing progress after the President’s last visit 18 months ago and how we can move together in combating challenges exacerbated by Covid-19. Our main principle is mutual respect, mutual prosperity. Win-win.

In their talks at Chequers, the Prime Minister and the President are also expected to discuss our collective leadership through the Commonwealth, plans for the Global Education Summit this week, as well as regional security and the situation in Ethiopia, with both Kenya joining the UK on the UN Security Council in 2021-22.

Notes to Editors

1. The Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership was agreed in January 2020, and has five pillars: Mutual Prosperity; Security and Stability; Sustainable Development; Climate Change; and People to People. More information can be found here

2. The five-year Defence Cooperation Agreement will come into force once it has been ratified by both the UK and Kenya’s respective Parliaments. Some of the highlights of our support to Kenya’s defence are:

   • Investment: KES 1.165 billion – annual UK investment in the defence partnership with Kenya;
   • Land: 1,100 Kenyan soldiers trained by the UK every year, preparing for deployment to Somalia and to counter IEDs;
   • Sea: Training for Kenyan Navy on maritime security, and firefighting;
   • Air: Partner with Laikipia Air Base, training for Kenyan Air Force engineers;
   • Community: Projects on sanitation, health, education, and tackling GBV – worth KES 28 million;
   • Economy: BATUK employs 550 local civilians, and has contributed KES 5.8 billion to the local economy since 2016.

3. Kenya-UK Year of Climate Action – KES 550 million of new UK funding to accelerate Kenya’s climate transition, including projects supporting renewable energy, clean cooling, and forest restoration – including Kaptagat Forest, a project spearheaded by Kenyan marathon legend Eluid Kipchoge.

From September 2021, ESFA is taking a more proactive and preventative approach to identifying and supporting colleges that may face challenges.

Under the changes ESFA will remove the ‘Early Intervention’ category and some of the restrictions around support that currently entails.

Instead ESFA will run a pilot where any college will be able to request expert help and support from the FE Commissioner through a diagnostic assessment – a process that was previously only open to colleges where a new principal had been appointed – helping all colleges to proactively request assistance much earlier, where that may be helpful.

A new package of support, known as ‘Active Support’ has also been announced that includes a new Curriculum Efficiency and Financial Sustainability pilot programme. This builds on the success of the School Resource Management Adviser programme, which has so far helped over 70 multi-academy trusts either save or generate new income of over £35 million.

There will also be increased support available from peer leaders through the National Leaders of Further Education and of Governance programmes, and through access to Local Provision Reviews.

The new suite of measures, and change of approach, delivers on the Dame Mary Ney report recommendations and will mean a significant shift in the work of both ESFA and the FE Commissioner to build more supportive relationships with all colleges.

This change in approach also supports the proposals being shared through the Funding and Accountability Consultation now under way.

Kirsty Evans, ESFA Director of Further Education said:

Throughout the pandemic, colleges have continued to rise to the challenge of delivering education and training either safely within institutions or remotely.

To ensure we can continue to build back better and recover, colleges will be critical to upskilling the future workforce, so it feels timely to introduce a more supportive and preventative, rather than reactive, approach to intervention, as recommended in Dame Mary Ney’s review.

Through a new Curriculum Efficiency and Financial Sustainability pilot we are keen to learn from the sector where efficiencies can be made, and we want to share good practice, ideas and lessons we are learning from the sector to help prevent colleges going into financial decline.

Earlier this year, following successful trials, ESFA announced the introduction of annual conversations with colleges. The first of these began in the summer term and will be completed during the 2021 to 2022 academic year. These conversations will provide colleges with the opportunity to showcase achievements and outstanding practice and to raise any concerns.

As part of ESFA’s core function, it will still ensure that there is an effective use of public funding, and the safeguarding of the learner is a priority. ESFA will continue to monitor and analyse the intelligence and data that it collects, and intervene where it is strictly necessary.

Looking ahead, the small proportion of colleges that do need more intensive support through formal intervention will be provided with an agreed package of support to secure sustained improvement when they leave intervention. The length of time a college spends in intervention is expected to be shorter than in the past.

Please refer to the college oversight support and intervention guide to review the full suite of measures and tools introduced.

• nine million vaccines to be donated bilaterally and offered to COVAX to help tackle COVID-19 abroad
• the vaccines are expected to start leaving the UK this week, with Indonesia, Jamaica and Kenya among countries set to receive doses
• the UK has pledged to donate 100 million vaccines overseas by June 2022, 80 million of which will go to COVAX

The UK will this week begin delivering 9 million COVID-19 vaccines around the world, including to Indonesia, Jamaica and Kenya, to help tackle the pandemic, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced today (Wednesday 28 July).

Five million doses are being offered to COVAX, the scheme to ensure equitable, global access to COVID-19 vaccines. COVAX will urgently distribute them to lower-income countries via an equitable allocation system which prioritises delivering vaccines to people who most need them. Another 4 million doses will be shared directly with countries in need.

Indonesia will receive 600,000 doses, 300,000 will be sent to Jamaica and 817,000 are to be transported to Kenya, among other countries.

The UK is donating the University of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, made by Oxford Biomedica in Oxford and packaged in Wrexham, North Wales.

This is the first tranche of the 100 million vaccines the Prime Minister pledged the UK would share within the next year at last month’s G7 in Cornwall, with 30 million due to be sent by the end of the year. At least 80 million of the 100 million doses will go to COVAX, with the rest going to countries directly. The donations will help meet the pledge that G7 leaders made to vaccinate the world and end the pandemic in 2022.

This week’s deployment will help meet the urgent need for vaccines from countries around the world, including in Africa, South East Asia and the Caribbean. These regions are experiencing high levels of COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

The UK is sending 9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, the first batch of the 100 million doses we’ve pledged, to get the most vulnerable parts of the world vaccinated as a matter of urgency.

We’re doing this to help the most vulnerable, but also because we know we won’t be safe until everyone is safe.

The UK has been at the forefront of the global response to COVID-19, including through investing £90 million to support the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Over half a billion doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been delivered at a non-profit price globally, with two-thirds going to lower- and middle-income countries.

The UK also kick-started efforts to establish COVAX in 2020, providing a total of £548 million to fund vaccines for lower income countries. The scheme has delivered more than 152 million vaccine doses to over 137 countries and territories, including in 83 lower-middle income countries. 65% of the initial vaccine doses have been Oxford-AstraZeneca. COVAX aims to deliver 1.8 billion vaccines to lower-income countries around the world by early 2022.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said:

This is a global pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to protect people and prevent the emergence of new variants. We want to make sure developing countries can build a wall of defence against the virus as we have in the UK through our vaccine rollout.

The UK is one of the largest donors to COVAX and this donation is part of our pledge to send 100 million vaccines to some of the world’s poorest countries.

The Government has secured enough doses for all UK residents, crown dependencies and overseas territories to support our ongoing vaccination programme and booster programme.

Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is co-leading COVAX alongside the World Health Organization and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said:

The UK has been a steadfast supporter of COVAX since its inception and this announcement comes at an important time.

Global vaccine demand is far outstripping supply, leaving millions of the most vulnerable unprotected, while higher vaccine coverage worldwide is one of our best shields against new variants.

In this pandemic nobody is safe until everyone is safe.

Sir Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca, said:

Each day we’re making progress in our mission to change the course of this pandemic by providing broad and equitable access to AstraZeneca’s vaccine. We are proud that over 80% of countries across the world have received doses of our vaccine, with two thirds supplied to lower middle income and low income countries.

The close collaboration between UK Government and our academic and industry partners is critical to ensure we deliver vaccines at speed and protect as many people as possible against this deadly virus.

Notes to editors

• the 9 million Oxford-AstraZeneca doses being donated are not needed for the domestic rollout. The doses will be UK-branded

• five million vaccines are being offered to COVAX, the global scheme to get COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries, to be delivered to the most vulnerable countries. Further details will be announced in due course

• the UK has also signed agreements with Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Cambodia, Guyana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand and Vietnam to receive up to 4 million doses

• the vaccines doses being donated on a bilateral basis are being transported by Crown Agents

• details of future donations will be announced in due course. Around 80% of the total 100 million doses will go to COVAX, and the remainder will be shared bilaterally with countries in need

• the UK provided £90 million to support the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine: £25 million on the initial research and development, and £65 million to scale up manufacturing.

• the UK made it clear as part of that funding that the vaccine should be affordable around the world and consequently AstraZeneca agreed to distribute it at a non-profit price during the pandemic

• the cost of this donation has been funded through UK Official Development Assistance, and will come over and above the ODA spending target of 0.5% of GNI if needed

A new advice hub is being launched to help disabled people understand their employment rights as part of plans to remove the barriers they face in work and business.

The online hub, a joint partnership between the Business Department and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), will provide clear advice to both disabled people and employers on employment rights – from discrimination in the workplace to reasonable adjustments. Going live today, it will draw together the relevant information in one place for the first time, to help ensure disabled people can make the most of their workplace rights.

It’s just one of the measures contained within the government’s new National Disability Strategy, launched today, which aims to take concrete steps to improve the working lives of disabled people and carers, and make the UK a great place for them to do business.

Business Minister Amanda Solloway said:

We want the UK to be the best place in the world to work and do business for everyone – and removing the barriers disabled people face will be critical if we’re to meet that goal.

From the new employment advice hub to Carer’s Leave, we hope these changes will make a real difference to the working lives of disabled people and carers.

Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said:

Our new hub explains how the law protects disabled people from discrimination at work and the basic rights that they are entitled to.

It is also a great resource for employers to help them create diverse, inclusive workplaces that are welcoming to disabled people and promotes equal opportunities for all employees.

Advice on the hub includes tips on how to prevent disability discrimination, how to make reasonable adjustments and how employees can raise complaints about disability discrimination at work.

As part of the strategy, the government will also explore what additional targeted support should be made available for disabled people in the workplace, as well as entrepreneurs who wish to start their own business.

Enterprise

By the end of 2021, the Business Department will publish proposals on improving access to finance and business support for disabled entrepreneurs, following extensive engagement with disabled entrepreneurs and disability stakeholders.

The government’s new Help to Grow: Management programme also offers small business owners a 12-week management training programme, 90% funded by government, which combines online sessions with face-to-face learning. The scheme has been designed to allow participants to complete it alongside full-time work.

Workers’ rights

To give disabled people and carers the flexibility they need in their working lives, the Business Department will also launch a consultation on making flexible working the default unless employers have good reasons not to.

Flexible working, which includes a wide range of arrangements over the time and place of work – from home working to job-sharing and flexitime – can bring benefits to a wide range of people including those with disabilities and carers.

To further support unpaid carers, government will also progress a commitment to introduce a statutory leave entitlement for an extra week of unpaid leave per year, to help support them with their additional responsibilities.

This new entitlement, which follows a consultation run last year, will help unpaid carers to stay in work and balance their caring responsibilities.

Additional information

• the advice hub will provide advice to disabled people in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland. Advice is available through the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
• the government’s new Help to Grow: Management programme offers the chance for small business owners to take their business to the next level through a practical management training programme. Visit the Help to Grow website for more information.