Egypt is participating in the Nairobi International Book Fair for the first time this year.

The book fair opened on Wednesday and continues until Sunday at the city’s New Sarit Convention Centre.

Egyptian Minister of Culture Ines Abdel-Dayem was the festival’s guest of honour this year.

(L-r) Lawrence Njagi and Khaled Al-Abyad with Culture Minister Ines Abdel-Dayem at the NIBF Photo courtesy of the Culture Minister Media Office (1)

Abdel-Dayem gave a speech at the event on Thursday, in which she said that: “the intellectual partnership with Kenya is a model for deepening the roots and historical ties between

Egypt and the African continent” and that “the invitation to participate in the Nairobi book air reflects the value and rank of Egypt in the heart of the continent of Africa and clarifies that the intellectual partnership with Kenya is a model for deepening the historical roots and ties between Egypt and the African continent.”

Also present were Egypt’s Ambassador to Kenya Khaled El-Abyad, and Lawrence Njagi, managing director of Mountain Top Publishers.

Abdel-Dayem added that Egypt’s first participation in Nairobi Book Fair comes as a positive response to the cultural agenda of Egypt’s presidency of the African Union, which began in January.

“The Egyptian presence is a step towards the activation of the protocol of cooperation signed between Egypt and the Kenyan side during the Golden Jubilee of Cairo International Book Fair,” she said.

Haitham El-Haj, Head of the Egyptian General Book Organization (EGBO), said that the exhibition is organised by the Kenya Publishers Association and will see the participation of 70 local and 22 international publishers.

The Egyptian Ministry of Culture, represented by the EGBO, is participating with 220 titles in the fields of thought, literature, art, politics and some other translated books.

The event includes workshops and seminars on topical issues, book launches, children’s events and the presentation of the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature Award, Kenya’s most important literary award.

The fair attracted 29,000 visitors last year and organisers have said they expect bigger numbers this year.