President William Ruto will depart for Beijing, China, on Sunday evening to represent Kenya at the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit.
This high-level summit convenes African Heads of State, Chinese leaders, and the African Union Commission to bolster Sino-African relations, with a focus on industrial and socio-economic development policies.
The summit’s theme, “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future,” emphasizes the shared commitment of African nations and China to leverage their strengths for mutual development.
President Ruto, in recognition of Kenya’s strategic partnership with China, has been chosen to co-chair a session titled “Pursuing High-Quality Belt and Road Initiative Cooperation: A Platform for Modernisation Featuring Planning, Building, and Benefiting Together.”
This session aligns with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), of which Kenya is a key partner, having benefited from major infrastructure projects like the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), Nairobi Expressway, and Kipevu Oil Terminal.
During his visit, President Ruto will engage in several high-profile meetings, including discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping to enhance bilateral relations and explore new areas of collaboration.
He will also hold bilateral talks with other African leaders, such as those from Senegal and Algeria, to foster regional cooperation.
One of the key events on President Ruto’s agenda is the China-Africa Entrepreneurs Conference.
This platform will bring together African and Chinese business leaders to explore investment opportunities in sectors like infrastructure, health, manufacturing, ICT, agriculture, and value addition.
Additionally, President Ruto will meet with leaders from major Chinese corporations to promote further investment in Kenya’s infrastructure, healthcare, and technology sectors.
The summit is expected to culminate in the Beijing Declaration, endorsed by African and Chinese Heads of State and Government, along with an action plan detailing areas of cooperation from 2025 to 2027.
For Kenya, President Ruto’s visit to China promises significant benefits.
The President aims to secure agreements on infrastructure development, including the construction of rural roads, the Nairobi Intelligent Transport System, and the Bosto Dam Water Supply Project.
Discussions are also expected to conclude on new projects, such as the extension of the SGR to Kisumu and Malaba, and the upgrading of technical and vocational education training (TVET) workshops.
Talks will also begin on establishing a pharmaceutical park and formalizing trade and investment agreements with China.
With China being one of Kenya’s largest trading partners, having bilateral trade volumes exceeding $8 billion between 2022 and 2023, the visit is set to further solidify ties.
Kenya is keen to diversify its collaborations with China to cover sectors such as agriculture, food security, e-commerce, manufacturing, and environmental conservation.
These efforts are aimed at creating job opportunities for Kenyan youth and women, in line with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
President Ruto’s engagements in Beijing will reinforce Kenya’s role in fostering long-term partnerships with China, paving the way for economic growth and development in key sectors that benefit the country’s future.
