President William Ruto and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have signed a renewed five-year Kenya–UK Strategic Partnership expected to unlock investments worth over Ksh427 billion.

The two leaders met in London on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, where they held high-level bilateral talks aimed at strengthening economic and security cooperation between the two nations.

According to a statement by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, the partnership will be implemented through four main pillars: trade and investment, green growth and climate action, science and technology, and peace and security.

The agreement is designed to double bilateral trade by 2030, enhance regional stability efforts, and equip 2.5 million Kenyans with digital skills.

As part of the technology pillar, the UK has committed Ksh17.7 billion to support over 500 start-ups and 5,000 digitally driven SMEs.

The funding is expected to unlock 30,000 digital jobs and deepen collaboration in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. In his remarks, President Ruto welcomed the move, noting it would position Kenya as a tech powerhouse on the continent.

PRESS RELEASE:

Kenya and UK Seal Strategic Partnership 2025–2030 to unlock multibillion shillings worth of deals. pic.twitter.com/stnQW1bd4Q

— Hussein Mohamed, MBS. (@HusseinMohamedg) July 1, 2025

Further, the UK will channel Ksh266.1 billion in new investments across various sectors and facilitate Ksh32.3 billion in capital markets funding aimed at driving economic growth through 2030.

Nairobi’s emerging role as a financial centre was also reinforced with Lloyd’s of London announcing the establishment of a regional underwriting hub under the Nairobi International Financial Centre (NIFC), which is projected to manage up to Ksh75.5 billion.

“These developments reflect growing investor confidence in Kenya’s economic and financial landscape,” the statement read.

These developments reflect rising investor confidence in Kenya’s economic framework, bolstered by the presence of global firms like Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon Web Services.

Kenya’s tech scene continues to gain momentum, with Nairobi often referred to as “Silicon Savannah” for its vibrant innovation ecosystem.

On the climate front, both governments agreed to mobilise Ksh35.5 billion in green financing from a mix of public and private sources to support clean energy initiatives and climate resilience projects.

Additionally, Kenya Airways will introduce six more weekly flights between Nairobi and London, starting this week, to ease passenger and cargo flow.

The move is expected to boost tourism and trade relations between the two countries.

Security cooperation was also a key agenda, with both leaders agreeing to strengthen intelligence sharing, capacity building, and joint defence operations.

A Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) is expected to follow, grounded in respect for each nation’s legal frameworks.