To anchor the relationship with Kazakhstan, he announced that Kenya would open a consular-general office in Astana, and progress it to a full-fledged embassy next year to anchor the growing ties between the two nations.

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya May 20 – Kenya and Kazakhstan have pledged to turn trade and investment ties into concrete commercial partnerships that help in driving prosperity of the two nations.

Presidents William Ruto and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday laid out a roadmap for trade, energy, logistics and technology cooperation during a business forum  at the Astana International Financial Centre.

Government and business leaders of both countries agreed that boardroom talks should now translate into tangible outcomes that benefit the people.

📌 What You Need to Know

President Ruto told the forum that the world is being reshaped by shifting trade corridors, supply chain diversification, energy transition and rapid technological change.

Due to this shift, he said, countries offering market access, policy stability and strategic connectivity would become preferred destinations for capital.

“Kazakhstan stands today as the largest economy in Central Asia and an increasingly important bridge into Eurasia,” he said.

He went on: “Kenya, on its part, has established itself as East Africa’s leading commercial, logistics, financial, and innovation hub.”

President Ruto, who is on a two-day State Visit to Kazakhstan, is accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet secretaries William Kabogo (ICT and Digital Economy) and Lee Kinyanjui (Investment, Trade and Industry), among other top government officials.

Pitching Kenya as a premier investment destination, President Ruto noted that the country provides access to a market of more than 300 million people iin the East African Community and over 1.4 billion consumers under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya