Ruto heads to Spain and UK to seal strategic deals

Both the Kenya and UK governments will prioritise flagship projects, notably the Nairobi Railway City. [File, PCS]

President William Ruto is expected to depart the country for official visits to Spain and the United Kingdom on Sunday.

According to State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed, Ruto is set to secure key bilateral agreements aimed at unlocking major investments, creating jobs, and enhancing Kenya’s global competitiveness in trade, climate, technology, and security.

During his stop in London, President Ruto will meet with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to sign the renewed Kenya–UK Strategic Partnership 2025–2030. 

"The agreement, built on four pillars; trade, climate, technology, and security, seeks to double trade volumes between the two countries by 2030, enhance digital skills among Kenyans, and deepen cooperation on regional security, terrorism, cyber threats, and climate action," Hussein said in a statement sent to newsrooms.

Under the trade and green growth agenda, both governments will prioritise flagship projects, notably the Nairobi Railway City. 

The transformative initiative aims to modernise Nairobi’s Central Business District into a transit-oriented urban hub. 

The UK has committed to mobilising up to £1.5 billion in new investments across Kenya to drive development in priority sectors by the end of the decade.

On climate collaboration, the two nations will tap into green finance from public and private sources to support sustainability initiatives. 

"The partnership also includes investments in Kenya’s innovation ecosystem, targeting start-ups, digitally-enabled small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence," he added.

President Ruto will also witness a landmark announcement by Lloyd’s of London, which is set to establish a regional underwriting hub in Nairobi through the Nairobi International Financial Centre (NIFC), positioning the city as a financial gateway for Sub-Saharan Africa.

He is also scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the Africa Debate, hosted by Invest Africa, a platform focused on driving strategic investment into Kenya and promoting its economic transformation agenda.

Before his UK engagements, President Ruto will visit Seville, Spain, to attend the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. 

The high-level summit brings together global leaders to craft new principles for financing sustainable development.

"At the forum, the President will advocate for renewed multilateralism in response to mounting global challenges including economic inequality, climate change, biodiversity loss, and geopolitical tensions," Hussein elaborated. 

Ruto will also co-chair a high-level session and hold bilateral talks with world leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI, to explore deeper cooperation in clean energy, youth empowerment, and climate resilience.