The EU and Kenya have agreed to deepen cooperation on trade, digital policy and investment, including new EU funding for transport links, connectivity and land registration.
The commitments were set out in Brussels, where Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen met Kenya’s President William Ruto, the Commission announced on Monday.
Under the EU’s Global Gateway programme, the two sides will invest in “clean transport and trade facilitation” along East Africa’s Northern Corridor and expand high-speed connectivity to more than 3,000 public offices, schools, health centres and digital hubs across Kenya.
Talks also covered the EU–Kenya Strategic Dialogue and progress in the EU–Kenya “data adequacy” process — an EU assessment of whether a country’s personal data protections allow data to flow safely from the EU.
Funding announced for transport, digital networks and services
Virkkunen announced €17 million to support changes along the Northern Corridor — described by the Commission as the busiest route in East Africa, stretching from Mombasa to Kisangani — including developing cold chains for fresh products, shifting freight from air to sea, and simplifying trade rules.
The Commission also announced €15 million for an expansion of Kenya’s national fibre-optic network to extend high-speed connectivity in underserved parts of the country, and €12 million to support the digitalisation of land registration.
A further €10 million will support a Digital Transformation Centre in Kenya working on areas including artificial intelligence and policy for digital trade and investment.
The EU will also provide €16 million to help refugee camps transition into “integrated communities”, citing Kenya’s role in hosting refugees.
The EU is Kenya’s largest export market, and the two sides signed an Economic Partnership Agreement in December 2023 after concluding negotiations in June 2023, with the European Parliament giving its consent in February 2024.
