President William Ruto left the country on Sunday afternoon for a series of official engagements in Belgium and Norway, followed by a state visit to Finland, as part of efforts to deepen Kenya’s economic and diplomatic ties with Europe.
The trip is centered on attracting investment, widening market opportunities for Kenyan exports, and strengthening partnerships aimed at job creation, industrial growth and expanded trade flows.
According to State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, the Head of State will also hold meetings with business leaders focusing on value addition, manufacturing, agriculture and logistics as Kenya seeks to position itself more competitively in global markets.
“During the Official Visit to Belgium, the President will hold talks with His Majesty King Philippe and Mr Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President of Flanders, on strengthening bilateral relations, trade and investment,” said Hussein.
In Brussels, discussions are also expected with senior European Union leaders, including European Council President António Costa and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
The talks will centre on implementation of the Kenya–EU Economic Partnership Agreement, which grants Kenyan exports duty-free and quota-free access to European markets.
“The discussions will focus on 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,” said the State House spokesperson.
Government officials say the engagements are expected to open up additional opportunities for Kenyan producers, especially in agriculture-driven exports such as tea, coffee, flowers, horticultural products and other processed goods.
In Norway, President Ruto is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and will also be hosted by Crown Prince Haakon.
The visit will include participation in a Kenya–Norway Business Forum, bringing together investors to explore cooperation in renewable energy, electric mobility, blue economy initiatives and climate-smart agriculture.
The final leg of the tour will take place in Finland, where bilateral talks are expected to focus on expanding cooperation in education, technology, digital innovation, clean energy, environmental sustainability, health and security matters.
The visit follows an invitation extended by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who was in Kenya on a State Visit in May 2025.
While in Helsinki, the President will also attend a Kenya–Finland Business Forum aimed at connecting investors with opportunities in technology, manufacturing, clean energy, innovation and value addition, as Kenya continues its push to strengthen international economic partnerships.
