Kenya and Egypt have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties, with renewed focus on trade, water security, energy, pharmaceuticals and regional peace initiatives.
Speaking during a joint media briefing at the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs headquarters in Nairobi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi emphasized that Kenya values its long-standing and historic relationship with the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Mudavadi welcomed his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, noting that diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to 1964 and have steadily expanded across political, economic, defense and social sectors.
He recalled the January 2025 State Visit to Cairo by President William Ruto, during which Kenya and Egypt elevated their ties to a Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
During that visit, the two governments signed 12 bilateral agreements covering trade and investment, education, ICT, maritime affairs, space cooperation, housing, governance, youth empowerment and sustainable development.
“I commend the progress made by our respective ministries in establishing sectoral working groups to spearhead implementation,” expressed Mudavadi, adding that a mid-term review is planned to assess progress and refine priorities ahead of a proposed State Visit by President el-Sisi to Kenya later this year.
On trade and investment, the Prime CS emphasized the need to create an enabling environment for businesses and fast-track the establishment of a Kenya–Egypt Joint Business Council.
“We encourage our private sectors to leverage synergies, diversify trade products and address trade facilitation inefficiencies to unlock economic resilience and shared prosperity,” he urged.
On his part, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty described Kenya as his ‘second home’ and hailed the bilateral relationship as a model of African fraternity and cooperation.
He also disclosed that President el-Sisi personally oversees efforts to expand ties beyond politics into trade, culture and investment.
“The volume of trade between our two countries reached approximately $567 million in 2024. This is not enough for the capabilities of Kenya and Egypt. We would like to double this trade volume in the coming years,” stated Abdelatty.
He noted that 64 Egyptian companies are currently operating in Kenya and expressed readiness to redirect a sizable portion of Egypt’s $14 billion investments in Africa to Kenya, citing the conducive business environment.
The Egyptian minister also pledged support in key sectors including infrastructure, agro-industry, pharmaceuticals and renewable energy. He further outlined plans for cooperation in electricity generation, wind and solar power, and the construction of mobile substations to supply remote areas.
In the pharmaceutical sector, Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s willingness to localize medical manufacturing in Kenya through phased transfer of technology, beginning with ‘fill and finish’ production lines, in line with Kenya’s push for local pharmaceutical production.
Commenting on the water security and the Nile Basin, Dr. Mudavadi reaffirmed Kenya’s principled position that no party should be left worse off in the utilization of shared water resources.
“We continue to advocate for African-led, inclusive and dialogue-based approaches within the Nile Basin Initiative framework,” he assured, adding that Kenya stands ready to serve as an impartial facilitator in advancing cooperative and sustainable Nile Basin management.
Concurrently, Abdelatty announced the launch of Egypt’s Nile Development Fund, with an initial contribution of $100 million to mobilize financing for infrastructure projects in Nile Basin countries.
He revealed that Kenya would be prioritized to benefit from the fund, particularly in dam construction, irrigation expansion and drilling of wells in arid areas.
On capacity building, Mudavadi welcomed Egypt’s pledge of over $7 million toward high-impact development projects and targeted training in diplomacy, security, agriculture and religious leadership, noting that the financial commitment had since been increased.
Meanwhile, both leaders underscored their countries shared commitment to regional peace and security, including support for African Union-led initiatives and peace efforts in the Horn of Africa.
“Stability is fundamental in fostering robust economic growth and societal well-being,” Mudavadi asserted, reaffirming Kenya’s support for African Union institutional reforms aimed at strengthening the continental body’s effectiveness and financial sustainability.
Equally, Abdelatty commended Kenya’s leadership in promoting dialogue at the United Nations and reiterated Egypt’s commitment to multilateralism, regional integration and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
On the whole, Mudavadi stressed that Kenya remains firmly committed to advancing the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership with Egypt as a platform for regional stability, economic growth and African-led solutions.
“I look forward to sustained engagement grounded in strategic trust, mutual respect and shared interests,” he said.
By Naif Rashid
