Youth Leadership and Innovation Center Opens in Nairobi with Azerbaijan's Support

The Youth Leadership and Innovation Center has officially opened in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, with the support of the Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) under the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

According to Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Kenya, the new center aims to empower young people, foster their leadership and innovation skills, and help them take a more active role in society while building successful professional careers, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

The opening ceremony, held on November 1, was jointly organized by the International Youth Network Public Union and the Kenya Institute of Special Education. The event brought together Charlene Ruto, the project’s initiator, founder patron of the International Youth Network, and daughter of the President of Kenya; AIDA Director Elmaddin Mehdiyev; Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Kenya Sultan Hajiyev; along with government officials, educators, and youth representatives.

In her remarks, Charlene Ruto, who has visited Azerbaijan several times, praised the country’s remarkable development, strong national values, and ongoing support for developing nations. She described Azerbaijan’s achievements as “an inspiration for every people and state,” and expressed gratitude for Baku’s contribution to establishing the Center. Ruto also noted that projects like this-together with scholarships awarded to Kenyan students under the Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant program-significantly contribute to strengthening friendship and partnership between the two nations.

AIDA Director Elmaddin Mehdiyev emphasized that Azerbaijan’s involvement in the project, along with educational and humanitarian programs implemented in Kenya, reflects the expanding cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Sultan Hajiyev highlighted the political importance of the recent meeting between President Ilham Aliyev and President William Samoei Ruto on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23. He noted that, in addition to AIDA’s projects, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s “Development of Education and Culture in African Countries” initiative has provided technical equipment to a Nairobi secondary school and neonatal departments in several Kenyan hospitals.

During their visit, the Azerbaijani delegation also held bilateral meetings to discuss new opportunities for cooperation in the humanitarian, educational, and development sectors, further strengthening the growing partnership between Azerbaijan and Kenya.