KNCCI President Dr. Erick Rutto’s remarks were delivered on his behalf by National Director and Chair Economic Diplomacy Committee Cynthia Nyawira, highlighted the Chamber’s active role in Kenya’s economic diplomacy.

The conference drew an impressive line-up of key stakeholders, underscoring the significance of the Kenya–China trade agenda including the Kenya Investment Authority and Lucy Muchoki the Chair, KNCCI Programmes and Partnerships Committee & CEO, Kenya Agribusiness and Agroindustry Alliance. The Changsha delegation included Li Weiqun Vice Chairman, Standing Committee of Changsha Municipal People’s Congress, Yang Zhiren — Deputy Director, Changsha Municipal Bureau of Commerce and China Business Representatives in Kenya including from , Zoomlion Overseas Company, eWaka Mobility, KILIMALL Kenya, Rideence Africa Limited and Executive Vice President, Hunan Association in Kenya Xiao Huizhong.

A central theme of the conference was the urgent need to address Kenya’s trade imbalance with China. Kenya’s trade deficit currently stands at approximately KES 654 billion. However, China’s decision to grant duty-free access to 98.2% of Kenyan exports was lauded as a transformative opportunity with early results are already showing tea and coffee exports to China have soared.

KNCCI Chair Programmes and Partnerships Ms. Lucy Muchoki highlighted the growing role of agriculture in Kenya’s exports to China, pointing to the strong potential for agribusiness expansion. She underscored the need to deliberately involve more youth and women in this growth, a call to action that aligns with KNCCI’s broader agenda of inclusive economic participation.

The Changsha delegation presented their city as a strategic distribution hub for goods entering China, with the capacity to channel products to markets across the entire country. This positions Changsha as a natural and efficient partner for Kenyan exporters seeking nationwide reach in China.

Presentations from Changsha’s industry leaders also spotlighted significant opportunities in biomedical devices, heavy machinery, new energy, and electric mobility sectors where Chinese enterprises are actively seeking African partners. KNCCI’s role in orienting and facilitating incoming Chinese investors was formally acknowledged and welcomed.

In remarks delivered by National Director Ms. Cynthia Nyawira, KNCCI outlined Kenya’s compelling investment proposition a dynamic economy that grew 4.6% in 2025, a youthful and entrepreneurial workforce, world-class digital infrastructure, and preferential access to a regional market of over 300 million consumers through the EAC, COMESA, and AfCFTA.

KNCCI also highlighted gains from KNCCI’s first overseas office in Changsha, established in December 2023 and which continues to serve as an anchor for Kenya–China business engagement, having already facilitated missions involving over 200 Kenyan business leaders.

Overall members in agribusiness, manufacturing, ICT, renewable energy, electric mobility, and biomedical sectors stand to benefit directly from the partnerships being developed through this forum.

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Representing KNCCI at the high-level gathering, the CEO described the forum as a premier platform that brings together voices from both government and business to advance a shared agenda of regional economic transformation. The event, organized by the COMESA Secretariat in partnership with various stakeholders, focused on the theme “Advancing Regional Integration Through Sustainable Trade and Industrialization.”

“Africa’s prosperity will not come from isolated efforts, but through collective action, open markets, and inclusive private sector participation,” the KNCCI CEO K.K. Mutai remarked.

Mr Mutai highlighted that the private sector remains central to COMESA’s economic architecture, accounting for nearly 80% of jobs and over 60% of GDP across its 21 member states. However, he cautioned that challenges such as non-tariff barriers, foreign exchange volatility, infrastructure bottlenecks, and fragmented digital systems continue to impede the full participation of enterprises in regional trade.

He emphasized KNCCI’s commitment to ensuring that Kenyan businesses and regional enterprises are well-positioned to benefit from the COMESA market of over 600 million consumers, calling for enhanced cooperation to unlock trade and investment potential.

In his address, the KNCCI CEO pointed out that the future of COMESA lies in regional value chains that leverage the diverse strengths of member countries.

“By pooling our comparative advantages — from Kenya’s agriculture and technology, Zambia’s minerals, Egypt’s manufacturing capacity, to Uganda’s agro-processing — we can create integrated supply chains that support industrial growth and shared prosperity,” he said.

To advance this vision, he said KNCCI is working closely with the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry and other regional chambers of commerce to strengthen business linkages through trade missions, B2B forums, and digital trade platforms. Such initiatives, he noted, are crucial in transitioning Africa from exporting raw materials to exporting finished products, which adds more value to the continent’s economies.

Addressing the importance of sustainability and innovation, the CEO urged COMESA member states to embrace green and digital transformation.

“We must promote clean energy solutions, sustainable manufacturing, and digital trade facilitation to ensure our businesses are globally competitive,” he stated.

The CEO further outlined KNCCI’s ongoing initiatives, including the Chamber Business Academy, which builds SME capacity, and partnerships with financial institutions and guarantee funds that improve access to affordable credit. With the right mix of financing, skills development, and technology transfer, he affirmed that African SMEs can thrive in global markets.

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During the meeting, Vice President Mustafa welcomed the delegation and highlighted Kenya’s robust investment climate. He emphasized the country’s investor-friendly policies, including special incentives for businesses setting up in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Processing Zones (EPZs). These zones, established by the Kenyan government, offer Tunisian companies a strategic entry point into East and Central African markets — a region with a combined population of over 500 million.

The Tunisian delegation is currently in Kenya to participate in the Tunisian Food & Handicrafts Expo 2025, taking place in Nairobi from 16–18 June 2025. The event is organized under the auspices of the International Labour Organization’s JEUN’ESS project, in partnership with CNFCE and the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB).

The expo is a vibrant platform showcasing Tunisia’s rich culinary and artisanal heritage, while fostering trade, cultural exchange, and business partnerships between Tunisian and East African enterprises. Of particular importance is the event’s focus on empowering women entrepreneurs and strengthening commercial ties across the African continent.

KNCCI applauds the initiative and reiterates its commitment to supporting bilateral trade, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.

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