Kenya, Italy adopt four-year cooperation plan after Ruto-Meloni talks

President William Ruto and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Italy. [PCS]

Kenya and Italy have signed a joint action plan to deepen cooperation in trade, renewable energy, food security and private sector development following talks between President William Ruto and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.

Ruto departed for Rome on Sunday, April 19, on a three-day state visit that State House confirmed was aimed at unlocking infrastructure funding and sealing new investment deals with Italy.

The agreement, covering the period 2026 to 2029 and anchored in Italy's Mattei Plan for Africa, positions Kenya as a flagship partner in Rome's bid to reframe its economic and diplomatic engagement with the African continent.

Both leaders agreed to promote bilateral trade and investment flows, facilitate partnerships between Italian and Kenyan businesses in third markets and convene a bilateral Business Forum on the sidelines of Ruto's visit to drive cooperation in infrastructure, sustainable energy, agri-business and manufacturing.

A notable focus of the plan is Kenya's leather sector, which both governments said they want to develop into a globally competitive industry through improvements in quality, environmental standards and market access.

On sustainable development, the two sides committed to strengthening food security and climate resilience with a particular focus on the coffee sector and the blue economy, alongside joint initiatives in renewable energy, water management and digital infrastructure.

Both leaders also agreed to coordinate positions at multilateral bodies including the United Nations on issues such as migration, climate change and peace and security in Africa, and to explore trade synergies under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The action plan further commits both foreign ministries to hold periodic consultations under an existing Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations.