President William Ruto in London: Kenya and UK Set Ambitious Trade Growth Target by 2030.
Posted on : Thursday, 3rd July 2025
Kenyan President William Ruto is on an official visit to the United Kingdom, where he is expected to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to finalize a new strategic partnership agreement covering the period from 2025 to 2030. The deal, announced on Kenya’s national broadcaster on June 29, aims to deepen cooperation between the two countries in key areas including trade, innovation, climate action, and security.
A major objective of the agreement is to double the value of trade between Kenya and the UK by the end of the decade. In 2024, trade between the two nations reached £1.8 billion (approximately $2.4 billion), marking a 10.1% increase from the previous year, according to UK government data.
UK Commits $1.7 Billion to Support Kenya’s Development
As part of the renewed economic partnership, the British government has pledged $1.7 billion to help fund Kenya's key development sectors such as digital infrastructure, green energy, manufacturing, and transport.
British officials also reported that foreign direct investment from the UK into Kenya rose by 22.1% in 2023, reaching $1.06 billion.
In addition, President Ruto’s UK visit is expected to confirm plans for the launch of a regional underwriting hub at the Nairobi International Financial Centre (NIFC), with the goal of positioning Nairobi as a leading financial hub for sub-Saharan Africa.
Advancing a Broader Global Development Vision.
Ruto’s stop in London follows his earlier visit to Spain, where he attended the Conference on Financing for Development held in Seville. There, the Kenyan leader called for reforms to the global financial architecture, fairer international partnerships, and increased African integration into global value chains—especially in the context of ongoing climate and economic challenges.
Facing rising public debt and constrained government spending, Kenya is turning toward private sector investment to drive development. Through its Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the Kenyan government aims to reduce unemployment, enhance economic resilience, and achieve sustainable growth in the coming years.
