EU and Kenya strengthen partnership

The European Union and Kenya are deepening their strategic partnership on trade, digital transformation and sustainable investment to drive mutual economic growth for the benefit of businesses and citizens on both sides. This reinforced cooperation reflects Kenya’s pivotal role as a key partner for the EU in Africa and at multilateral level.

These commitments were set out today in Brussels, where Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, welcomed President of the Republic of Kenya William Ruto.

As part of this cooperation under the Global Gateway, the EU and Kenya will  invest in clean transport and trade facilitation along the strategic Northern Corridor in East Africa and in the roll-out of high-speed connectivity to over 3,000 public offices, schools, health centres and digital hubs across Kenya.

Discussions advanced cooperation under the EU-Kenya Strategic Dialogue across key priority areas and welcomed progress in the EU-Kenya data adequacy process, which would facilitate safe data flows between the partners and support digital trade and innovation. The EU noted the positive assessment so far and its intention to conclude the process as soon as possible.

Unlocking trade and business opportunities

The EU reaffirmed its strong commitment to the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement. Both the EU and Kenya stressed the importance of resolving outstanding trade issues and moving towards full implementation of the agreement, so that businesses in the EU and Kenya can benefit fully.

On digital policy, the EU proposed deepening cooperation, especially in artificial intelligence, digital identity and secure connectivity.

Finally, the EU also highlighted its reinforced investment in Kenya under the Global Gateway strategy. In this context, Executive Vice-President Virkkunen made a series of announcements:

• €17 million to support the transformation of the strategic Northern Corridor, the busiest in East Africa stretching from Mombasa to Kisangani, into a modern, clean trade and transport route. EU funding will support the development of cold chains for fresh products, the shift from air to sea transport and the simplification of trade rules.
• €15 million for the aerial expansion of Kenya’s national fiber-optic network, extending high-speed connectivity in underserved parts of the country.
• €12 million to advance the digitalisation of land registration, allowing households, farmers and businesses to prove ownership.
• €10 million to support the Digital Transformation Centre in Kenya which supports the digital transformation, including artificial intelligence and creating an enabling policy environment for digital trade and investment to drive innovation, skills and jobs.
• €16 million for refugee camps to transition into integrated communities, recognising Kenya’s stabilising role in a fragile region and its commitment to hosting refugees.

Background

The European Union and Kenya have a deep and long-standing partnership. Today, the EU is the largest market for Kenya’s exports. It is also a major partner in regional security, investment and development cooperation.

The EU and Kenya concluded negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement on 19 June 2023. The agreement was signed on 18 December 2023. The European Parliament gave its consent on 29 February 2024.

On 7 May 2024, the European Union and Kenya launched an adequacy dialogue to facilitate the free flow of personal data from the EU to Kenya. This would help boost digital trade and give Kenya access to Europe’s growing data economy, expected to be worth over €800 billion by 2025.

On 18 March 2026, the EU and Kenya launched the EU–Kenya Digital Dialogue. This was an important step in strengthening cooperation on digital policy and technological innovation. The dialogue focuses on shared priorities, including telecommunications and digital networks infrastructure, artificial intelligence innovation and ecosystems, and eGovernance including Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

The EU and Kenya have a shared interest in building resilient value chains and strengthening strategic autonomy in critical sectors. Kenya’s innovation ecosystem and its role as a regional logistics and financial hub make it a natural anchor for Global Gateway in East Africa.

For more information: European Commission