Kenya and Germany Strengthen Economic and Digital Cooperation at Business Day in Berlin

Kenya and Germany have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral economic cooperation through enhanced trade, investment, digital transformation, and sustainable development partnerships during the Kenya–German Government Negotiation Business Day held in Berlin.

The Business Day, hosted at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), formed part of the broader Kenya–Germany Government-to-Government negotiations and brought together senior government officials, development partners, investors, financiers, industry associations, and private sector leaders from both countries.

The Kenyan delegation was led by the Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, and Kenya’s Ambassador to Germany, H.E. Stella Mokaya Orina. The delegation included Eng. John Tanui, CBS, Principal Secretary, State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy; Dr. Chris Kiptoo, CBS, Principal Secretary, National Treasury; Ephantus Kimotho Kimani, Principal Secretary, State Department for Irrigation; and Regina Akoth Ombam, Principal Secretary, State Department for Trade.

The German delegation was led by Stefan Rouenhoff, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), and Dr. Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The forum provided a platform for discussions on investment promotion, project financing, industrial partnerships, and sector-specific opportunities in agribusiness, digitalisation, Global Business Services (GBS), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), renewable energy, and labour mobility. The participation of institutions such as the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), Invest Kenya, German industry associations, investors, financiers, and development agencies underscored growing confidence in Kenya as a strategic gateway for investment and innovation in Africa.

A key area of focus was the digital economy, where stakeholders explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration in digital infrastructure development, artificial intelligence, innovation ecosystems, digital skills development, and technology-enabled service exports. The discussions highlighted Kenya’s growing position as a leading destination for Global Business Services, Business Process Outsourcing, and software development, supported by a young and skilled workforce, a conducive business environment, and ongoing investments under the Government's Digital Superhighway Programme.

Speaking during the engagements, Eng. John Tanui, CBS, Principal Secretary, State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, emphasized the critical role of strategic partnerships in accelerating digital transformation, creating employment opportunities for young people, and enhancing Kenya’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.

The Business Day also witnessed the signing and launch of several strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and partnership agreements across digital skills development, GBS and BPO expansion, climate-smart agriculture, circular economy initiatives, battery circularity, energy storage, and e-mobility.

Among the notable agreements was a partnership between GetINNOtized GmbH and DEG Impulse, supported by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, to establish a digital training and job placement platform focused on cloud computing, data, and Artificial Intelligence skills for Kenyan youth. Additional collaborations were announced between GIZ Kenya and gevekom GmbH to advance Kenya’s GBS and BPO sector, and between GIZ Kenya and the Open Source Business Alliance (OSBA) to strengthen digital talent development, open-source technologies, and innovation ecosystems.

Other agreements included partnerships on climate-smart agriculture, e-waste recycling and critical minerals recovery, battery circularity and energy storage technologies, electric mobility infrastructure, and technical skills development. Collectively, these initiatives reflect a shared commitment by Kenyan and German institutions to advance digital transformation, green industrialization, climate resilience, innovation-led growth, and sustainable economic development.

The engagements reaffirmed Kenya and Germany’s longstanding partnership anchored on mutual respect, economic cooperation, innovation, and sustainable development. By strengthening government-to-government and business-to-business linkages, the two countries are creating new pathways for investment, technology transfer, trade, job creation, and inclusive economic growth.

The outcomes of the Business Day are expected to contribute significantly to the realization of Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and the Digital Superhighway Programme, while further positioning Kenya as a regional hub for Global Business Services, software development, digital innovation, and sustainable industrial development.