President William Ruto met heads of EU delegations in Nairobi, urging both sides to clear existing trade obstacles and fully exploit the economic relationship.

The EU remains Kenya’s top export market, accounting for 21 percent of the country’s total exports, with key products such as tea, coffee, cut flowers and horticultural produce supporting hundreds of thousands of livelihoods.

Kenyan exports to the EU rose to Ksh 166.8 billion last year, up from Ksh 156.9 billion in 2024, while imports fell to Ksh 237.3 billion from Ksh 249.7 billion, indicating a narrowing trade gap.

The growth follows the EU‑Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement, which entered force on 1 July 2024, granting Kenyan goods duty‑free and quota‑free access to the European market.

Ruto highlighted that smallholder farmers still face strict sanitary and phytosanitary standards, high freight costs and inadequate cold‑chain infrastructure, calling for joint action to address these constraints.

He also urged accelerated talks on a wider East African Community‑EU Economic Partnership Agreement to broaden market opportunities for the region.

Beyond agriculture, the president invited European investors to increase capital flows into Kenyan manufacturing, energy, healthcare and infrastructure, emphasizing technology transfer and local production.

The EU has already pledged funding for projects such as the Northern Corridor transport network, digital land registration, digital transformation centres and programmes integrating refugee settlements.

Digital cooperation is a focal point, with Kenya becoming the first African nation to launch a structured Digital Dialogue with the EU covering AI, public digital services and connectivity.

The next Digital Dialogue session, slated for 23–24 November 2026, will prioritize expanding fiber‑optic networks and exploring the extension of the Blue Raman Submarine Cable to Kenya.

Nairobi is also seeking deeper collaboration with European AI research institutions to accelerate local innovation and build capacity in emerging technologies.