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.

The post KNCCI, Kenya China Chamber of Commerce Hosts the China–Changsha Kenya Economic and Trade Cooperation Matchmaking Conference appeared first on KNCCI.

The meeting was led by H.E. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and hosted by H.E. Hatim Yousif Hosni, Ambassador of Egypt to Kenya.

Key Focus Areas:
* Strengthening bilateral trade and investment
* Enhancing market access and addressing trade imbalances
* Diversifying the existing trade basket
* Promoting structured business-to-business collaboration

Both sides underscored the importance of leveraging regional and continental frameworks such as COMESA and the AfCFTA to unlock new opportunities for businesses in both countries.

KNCCI emphasized:
* Establishing structured engagement platforms
* Encouraging joint ventures and reciprocal trade missions
* Improving trade facilitation to reduce bottlenecks for exporters and investors
* Expanding partnerships in manufacturing, agro-processing, ICT, infrastructure, and energy

KNCCI members from diverse sectors were in attendance, reaffirming the Chamber’s commitment to ensuring that private sector voices remain central in advancing international trade partnerships.

CEO Mr. KK Mutai, alongside National Director Mr. Ken Onditi, MBS, reiterated the Chamber’s dedication to translating the meeting outcomes into actionable follow-up engagements and sustained private sector dialogue to drive mutually beneficial Kenya–Egypt trade relations.

The post KNCCI Strengthens Kenya–Egypt Trade Relations appeared first on KNCCI.

Dr. Eric Rutto, President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), attended a dinner reception hosted at the German Embassy Residence in Nairobi on the occasion of the visit of a high-level Business and State Government Delegation from the German State of Bavaria. The event was hosted by Mr. Alexander Fierley, Chargé d’Affaires of the Federal Republic of Germany, together with Dr. Markus Wittmann, Director General at the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, who also led the delegation.

The Bavarian delegation, visiting Kenya from 14th to 21st September 2025, comprised more than 30 companies, research institutions, and innovation actors with expertise in ICT, software development, AI, FinTech, InsurTech, biotech, sustainability, and digital health. Their mission was to explore strategic partnerships with Kenyan businesses, research institutions, and start-ups, with a view to strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and unlocking opportunities in key growth sectors.

Dr. Rutto’s participation underscored KNCCI’s role in building international linkages and fostering trade and investment relations. The dinner created opportunities for KNCCI to engage German business and government leaders, highlighting Kenya’s position as a regional economic hub and opening avenues for collaboration in areas such as the digital economy, agritech, manufacturing, and circular economy initiatives.

The post KNCCI Participates in the Visit of a high-level Business & State Government Delegation from the German State of Bavaria appeared first on KNCCI.

In his address, he highlighted Kenya’s strategic position as a gateway to regional markets, a skilled workforce and supportive business incentives. He invited Pakistani investors to explore opportunities in sectors such as agro-processing, textiles, pharmaceuticals, ICT and healthcare.

The morning ended with a vibrant networking session between Kenyan and Pakistani businesses, laying ground for potential partnerships and trade linkages.

The post KNCCI Participates at the Pakistan–Kenya Business Council (PKBC) Importers Networking Breakfast appeared first on KNCCI.

In the discussions the Ambassador highlighted that Ethiopia has opened up major sectors that Kenyan businesses can take advantage of including: banking, telecommunications, forex, trading services and mining. He also pointed out that efforts are ongoing to ensure that Kenya and Ethiopia have a one stop border stop to facilitate trade.

In particular the Ambassador said Ethiopia is looking for investments in its priority sector including:

• Manufacturing: Textile & apparel, leather & leather products, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, metal & engineering industry, electronics & electrical products, paper & paper products, and construction materials.
• Agriculture: Horticulture (flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs), plantation of cotton, palm tree, rubber tree, coffee, tea, sugarcane, oilseeds, livestock, apiculture, and high-value crops such as barley for malting.
• Mining: gold, potash, platinum, opal, iron, tantalum, marble, granite, limestone etc
• Tourism: grade one tour operation, star designated hotels, lodges & restaurants, grade one construction, information & communications technology (ICT) and general & specialized hospitals
• ICT: 200-hectare ICT dedicated Industry Park in Addis Ababa, Opened Telecom sector, business in software development, setting up data centers, business process outsourcing
• Banking and Forex Bureaus: 31 banks present, 9 companies and the existing banks licensed to buy and sell foreign currencies

Other opportunities include the establishment of investments in the health sector to handle chronic diseases, trading services with the government having allowed foreigners to participate in the imports and export business and logistics. The Ethiopian government has also set up industrial parks and special economic zones for investors to establish their companies in.

The chamber has pledged to organize an educational opportunity for its members at the Embassy so that Kenyan companies can better be informed of investment opportunities within the next month. Later the chamber will organize a trade mission to Ethiopia for its members in the priority sectors including a business matchmaking session with Ethiopian companies.

Ethiopia at a glance

• Population: 2nd most populous country in Africa with a population size of over 120 million
• Economy: 3rd largest economy in sub-saran Africa with GDP of USD 205 billion
• Exports: Leading exports: coffee, oilseeds, gold, pulses, horticulture, live animals, growing manufacturing export (textile and apparel, leather and leather products etc)

The post KNCCI HOSTS ETHIOPIA AMBASSADOR TO KENYA TO DISCUSS IMPLEMENTATION OF KENYA-ETHIOPIA SPECIAL STATUS AGREEMENT appeared first on KNCCI.