PS Isaboke Advances Kenya–Kazakhstan Economic and Digital Cooperation

Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke today delivered a keynote address at the Kazakhstan–Kenya Business Forum on behalf of Cabinet Secretary Hon. William Kabogo Gitau. The forum was hosted by H.E Barlybay Sadykov, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Kenya, and brought together government officials and private sector stakeholders from both countries.

Kenya and Kazakhstan maintain warm and cordial bilateral relations, which have been strengthened through structured diplomatic engagement. These include the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations in March 2024 and the inaugural consultations held in Astana in September 2024.

In his address, the Principal Secretary highlighted Kenya’s digital transformation agenda, noting that flagship initiatives such as Konza Technopolis are positioning the country as a competitive destination for global technology investment. He underscored the strong potential for enhanced Kenya–Kazakhstan collaboration in areas such as e-government systems, fintech innovation, cybersecurity and startup incubation, building on Kazakhstan’s own progress in digital development.

The Principal Secretary also emphasized Kenya’s demographic advantage, citing a young, skilled and English-speaking workforce across sectors including engineering, ICT, healthcare, education and hospitality. He noted that Kenya is open to structured labour mobility frameworks that are mutually beneficial, legally anchored and designed to safeguard workers’ rights while supporting orderly migration.

He concluded by reaffirming that Kenya’s economic diplomacy is deliberate, data-driven and outcome-oriented, and expressed the country’s readiness to work closely with Kazakhstan to deepen trade, unlock investment opportunities and build resilient value chains linking Central Asia and East Africa.

Also present at the forum were Information and Broadcasting Secretary, Mr Temesi Mukani; Evans Maturu from the State Department for Foreign Affairs; Ken Onditi, National Director of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Pius Rotich from KenInvest.