Ruto departs for Europe amid scrutiny over foreign travel record

President William Ruto. [File,Standard]

President William Ruto departed for Europe on Sunday, June 7, for official visits to Belgium and Norway and a state visit to Finland, in a tour that puts his controversial travel record back under the spotlight.

The trip comes as Ruto faces lingering public criticism over the frequency and cost of his foreign engagements.

In his first 20 months in office, he made 62 visits to 38 countries, a record that partly fuelled the June 2024 youth protests that rattled his administration.

State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed said the three-nation tour targets investment attraction, export market expansion and bilateral partnerships across key sectors including agriculture, clean energy and technology.

In Belgium, Ruto will hold talks with King Philippe and Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele on trade and investment, and meet business leaders on opportunities in manufacturing, value addition and logistics.

He will also hold consultations with European Council President António Costa and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on the implementation of the Kenya-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which grants Kenyan exports duty-free and quota-free access to the European market.

The engagement is meant to unlock opportunities for Kenyan tea, coffee, cut flowers and horticulture exporters, State House said.

In Norway, Ruto will meet Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Crown Prince Haakon, and participate in the Kenya-Norway Business Forum, which will explore partnerships in renewable energy, electric mobility and the blue economy.

The tour concludes with a state visit to Finland at the invitation of President Alexander Stubb, reciprocating Stubb's visit to Nairobi in May 2025. The main themes of the Finland visit include deepening bilateral relations, strengthening cooperation in international contexts, reforming the multilateral system and promoting trade between the two countries.

Ruto will also participate in a high-level panel discussion on the United Nations and peace mediation, titled "The Promise of Peace," at the Government Banquet Hall in Helsinki, alongside Stubb.

On June 11, the two presidents will participate in a trade promotion event at the Nokia Executive Experience Centre in Espoo, with representatives from Finnish and Kenyan companies in attendance.

Ruto will also address the Kultaranta Talks, a foreign and security policy forum where Africa features as a key discussion pillar this year.