President William Ruto has departed for a multi-country European tour aimed at attracting investment, expanding export markets and strengthening economic partnerships with Belgium, Norway and Finland.
The President's trip, which combines official visits and a state visit, is expected to focus on boosting trade opportunities for Kenyan products, courting foreign investors and advancing Kenya's diplomatic interests in Europe.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, Ruto's engagements are intended to support efforts to "attract investment, expand market access for Kenyan products and strengthen partnerships that boost exports, create jobs and drive economic growth."
In Belgium, President Ruto is scheduled to hold talks with King Philippe and Matthias Diependaele, the Minister-President of Flanders, as Kenya seeks to deepen bilateral ties and unlock new investment opportunities. He is also expected to meet business leaders to promote opportunities in value addition, manufacturing, agriculture and logistics.
The President will further hold consultations with senior European Union officials, including European Council President António Costa and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
A key focus of those discussions will be the implementation of the Kenya-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement, which "provides duty-free and quota-free access for Kenyan exports to the European market."
State House said the agreement is expected to create greater opportunities for Kenyan farmers and exporters, particularly those dealing in tea, coffee, cut flowers, horticulture and other value-added products.
President Ruto will then travel to Norway, where he will meet Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and have an audience with Crown Prince Haakon. He will also attend the Kenya-Norway Business Forum, bringing together investors from both countries to explore partnerships in renewable energy, electric mobility, the blue economy and climate-smart agriculture.
The final leg of the tour will take him to Finland on a State Visit at the invitation of President Alexander Stubb. State House said the visit follows President Stubb's trip to Kenya in May 2025 and is expected to deepen cooperation in education, technology and digitisation, clean energy, environmental sustainability, health, and peace and security.
President Ruto will also participate in the Kenya-Finland Business Forum and attend the Kultaranta Talks, described as a leading international foreign and security policy forum.
"The inclusion of Africa as a key pillar of this year's discussions provides an important opportunity for Kenya to advance the continent's priorities on peace, security, sustainable development and reforms to the international system," the statement said.
The European tour comes just days after President Ruto concluded a three-day State Visit to South Africa, where he held talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa and attended a Kenya-South Africa Business Forum aimed at strengthening trade and investment ties between the continent's two largest economies.
During the visit, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to deeper economic cooperation and regional integration, signing six new bilateral agreements to boost trade, fix trade imbalances, and push for African unity.