Ruto pushes for stronger Kenya–South Africa ties after new trade and cooperation deals

President William Ruto has urged deeper Kenya–South Africa cooperation following talks in Pretoria, highlighting new agreements on trade facilitation, shipping, education, standards regulations, sport and gender equality.

He praised South Africa’s democratic legacy and called for African unity in global affairs.

Speaking on Thursday during his visit to South Africa, the President noted rising bilateral trade, visa-free travel gains, and stronger investment ties, stressing the implementation of agreements and the accelerated regional integration efforts agenda.

"As a statement to our growing ties, we have today witnessed the signing of six instruments on trade facilitation through cooperation in standards regulation and metrology on shipping and maritime cooperation and on partnerships in gender equality and women's empowerment, technical and vocational education, arts and heritage, and sports and recreation on trade and investment," the Head of State highlighted.

Ruto noted that bilateral trade had grown from Sh76.11 billion in 2024 to Sh83.85 billion in 2025, describing the increase of more than 10 percent as momentum that must be accelerated.

He highlighted visa-free travel arrangements, noting that 58,000 arrivals were recorded in 2025 and that Kenyan visits had increased by 18.7% following the 90-day entry policy, calling it evidence of shared prosperity.

President Ruto noted that Kenya and South Africa were not asking to be admitted to someone else’s architecture, but were asserting their rightful place among the architects of the new global order, and that working together, the two countries could deliver real outcomes and impact through their partnership.

Kenya and South Africa have in many years maintained close diplomatic and economic relations since the restoration of ties in 1994, grounded in shared Pan-African goals and cooperation in trade, governance, and regional integration.

The relationship was formalised through a Joint Commission for Cooperation established in 2007, with regular ministerial reviews and business forums.

In recent years, the two countries have expanded cooperation through multiple memoranda, including eight agreements signed in 2021 covering health, transport, tourism, and migration.

President Ruto's visit comes as both countries seek to strengthen cooperation within the African Union, the United Nations, and regional trade frameworks, including the African Continental Free Trade Area, with leaders agreeing to dismantle barriers to trade and expand investment flows across key sectors such as aviation, fintech, logistics, education, and tourism.

Ruto also commended South Africa’s leadership during its G20 presidency, saying it had helped place African development priorities at the centre of global discussions and push for reforms of the international financial architecture, while urging faster progress on multilateral reform.

Both leaders reinforced that the partnership between Nairobi and Pretoria is rooted in shared liberation histories and must now translate into measurable economic and social outcomes, with emphasis on people-to-people exchange, infrastructure development, and enhanced regional stability.

Ruto concluded that the success of the relationship would be judged not by declarations alone but by tangible results delivered to citizens, adding that the two governments would continue to work closely to ensure that all signed instruments are implemented effectively and that the momentum generated by the visit is sustained into the future and beyond cooperation and growth.