The Government will start purchasing crude oil from Venezuela at concessionary rates once implementation of a Joint Commission for Cooperation comes into force, Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Raphael Tuju says.

Tuju said the oil deal will be for six years, to be renewed automatically for a similar period.

The Venezuelean government will also assist Kenya in oil exploration in specific areas which are believed to have oil deposits, said Tuju.

The minister made the announcement in Caracas, Venzuela, last week during the closing session of Kenya- Venezuela deliberations on the main areas of cooperation in the Joint Commission.

He was leading a Kenyan delegation to the first meeting of ‘political mechanism for political consultation and agreement between Kenya and Venezuela’. It comprised Energy minister, Mr Kiraitu Murungi, Sports, Culture and Social Services minister, Mr Maina Kamanda, Energy Permanent Secretary Mr Patrick Nyoike, the head of the American Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Chepsogol and technical staff from various ministries.

In separate talks with the Venezuela Foreign minister, Mr Nicolas Maduro Moros, Tuju said Kenya is refocusing its relations with countries in the Middle East, China and Latin America in the spirit of the South - South Cooperation.

"We opened an embassy in Brazil this year and we are ready to appoint an Honorary Counsel in Venezuela by the end of the year," he said.

Moros observed that the Kenyan delegation was the first from the Eastern part of Africa. He expressed hope that more African Countries will be willing to do business with his country after the Africa Summit is held in Caracas next year. All African heads of state have been invited to the meeting.

"The summit, whose theme is ‘World focus on pulling African and Latin American resources,’ is geared towards political and economic independence, currently dominated by the West," he said.

Tuju praised the Venzuela government for its ability to harness the country’s natural resources without foreign interference. Kenya is pursuing a similar path by financing 93 per cent of its national Budget from internal sources, he noted.

Besides oil, other areas of cooperation which were agreed upon, include economic, agricultural, social cultural, environmental, education, health and tourism.

Tuju encouraged officials from both counties to sustain the momentum generated during the meetings by carrying out the necessary follow— through actions in a bid to concretise the JCC agreements.