Ruto heads to Italy for talks on infrastructure and investment deals
By Faith Lagat, April 19, 2026President William Ruto has departed for Rome, Italy, for an official State Visit aimed at strengthening Kenya-Italy relations and securing investment in infrastructure, irrigation, energy and agriculture.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed posted on his X post dated April 19, 2026, saying that the visit includes scheduled bilateral talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with several Memoranda of Understanding and sectoral agreements expected to be signed.
A key focus of the discussions is the acceleration of the Arror, Kimwarer and Itare dam projects, which form part of Kenya’s irrigation programme under the government’s national priorities of irrigation, infrastructure expansion and energy generation.
The projects aim to expand irrigated land to 2.5 million acres within seven years, strengthen food security, and support agricultural exports.
The engagements align with Italy’s Mattei Plan, which prioritises cooperation in agriculture, agro-industry, health, clean energy and human capital development.
Investment promotion and business engagement
The president is expected to participate in the Kenya-Italy Business Forum, where investment opportunities in infrastructure, energy and irrigation will be presented to Italian private sector players and multilateral institutions. These include the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
The State House Spokesperson said the visit will promote Kenya’s development agenda and strengthen trade and investment ties with Italy.
“The engagements will further advance cooperation under Italy’s Mattei Plan, with emphasis on agriculture and agro-industry, value chain development, health, clean energy, and human capital development,” he stated.
The forum is also expected to facilitate discussions on financing mechanisms for priority projects and deepen collaboration in key economic sectors including tourism, digital economy and labour mobility.
Policy alignment and existing cooperation
Mudavadi noted that the visit will review progress since President Mattarella’s State Visit to Kenya in 2023 and advance cooperation in water, agriculture, energy, health, tourism and digital transformation.
He added that the talks will focus on mobilising financing for priority projects, accelerating implementation of existing agreements and expanding labour mobility, education, and research cooperation between the two countries.
Kenya and Italy recently strengthened bilateral relations through a February 2026 agreement on sustainable fisheries, renewable energy solutions for aquaculture and Blue Economy research collaboration.
The Rome visit is expected to further consolidate strategic partnerships and advance Kenya’s infrastructure and investment agenda through new agreements and strengthened institutional cooperation.