President William Ruto has secured a €102 million (approximately KSh15.3 billion) investment commitment from the European Union under the EU-Kenya Digital Partnership, aimed at accelerating Kenya’s digital transformation, expanding connectivity and creating new opportunities for businesses and young people.
The agreement follows high-level talks between President Ruto and European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen during his ongoing European tour focused on investment promotion, trade expansion and strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The European Union also pledged €37 million to support the Africa extension of the Blue Raman submarine cable, which will connect Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania, boosting internet connectivity across the region and reducing bandwidth costs.
President Ruto said the initiatives will reinforce Kenya’s position as a regional digital hub and support its ambition to become a leading destination for technology investment and business process outsourcing (BPO) services.
The discussions also reviewed progress under the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which has seen Kenyan exports to the EU rise by more than 20 percent since its implementation, opening new markets for farmers, manufacturers and exporters.
The leaders further discussed ongoing work under the Digital Partnership, including data governance and digital trade frameworks intended to ease cross-border digital business and attract investment into Kenya’s tech sector.
Ruto, who is on visits to Belgium, Norway and Finland, said the European engagements are part of a broader strategy to deepen economic ties and expand market access for Kenyan products.
The government maintains that the digital economy remains central to its development agenda, with investments in connectivity and innovation expected to drive job creation and improve Kenya’s global competitiveness.
