Kenya, Australia pledge to deepen six-decade bilateral ties

Kenya and Australia have renewed their commitment to strengthen bilateral relations that have spanned six decades, with both nations pledging closer cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, mining, climate action, and maritime security.

The renewed commitment was announced during a bilateral meeting between Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Australian Assistant Minister Matt Thistlethwaite.

Mudavadi praised the “warm and friendly relations” between the two nations, saying the partnership has provided a strong foundation for future economic and strategic collaboration.

“Our discussions today centred on strengthening Kenya-Australia cooperation in key sectors such as trade and investment, agriculture, tourism, mining, sports, environmental conservation, and labour migration,” said Mudavadi.

He noted that Kenya is eager to tap into Australia’s expertise in mining and agriculture to boost productivity and create jobs.

“We affirmed our commitment to continue the partnership in mining, where Kenya can benefit from Australia’s robust sector. On agriculture, we agreed to collaborate on improving seed quality, livestock keeping, and ranching,” he said.

Mudavadi urged more Australian investors to explore opportunities in Kenya and called for greater market access for Kenyan products. “It is important that we attract more Australian investors to Kenya while encouraging them to open their markets for Kenyan products to improve the balance of trade, which currently favours Australia,” he stated.

Mudavadi also thanked Australia for supporting Kenyan students studying and working under various educational and vocational programs. “With our youthful and well-educated population, I urged the Australian government to tap into Kenya’s human resource to further drive its robust economy,” Mudavadi said.

The two leaders also discussed maritime safety and cooperation in the blue economy, citing the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean, which carries nearly one-third of global container traffic.

“We agreed on the need to work together to ensure the safety of the Indian Ocean for the benefit of the business community, as it remains vital to global trade,” Mudavadi said.

He revealed that Kenya is keen to elevate its relationship with Australia to the level of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which would open new channels for trade and investment.

“Kenya is ready to deepen its engagement with Australia beyond traditional cooperation and move towards a structured Economic Partnership Agreement in the future,” he affirmed.