On June 4, 2026, South Africa and Kenya strengthened their strategic partnership by signing six new memorandums of understanding, bringing the total to 34 across key sectors such as trade and education. This initiative aims to rebalance a trade balance favoring Pretoria and address the critical challenge of youth unemployment, which exceeds 58% in South Africa and is a major driver of job demand in Kenya.
On June 4, 2026, South Africa and Kenya took a new step in strengthening their bilateral partnership. During Kenyan president William Ruto’s state visit to Pretoria, the two countries signed six memorandums of understanding aimed at deepening cooperation in strategic sectors such as trade, maritime transport, skills development, gender equality, arts and culture, and sports. On the commercial front, the imbalance remains significant: Kenyan imports from South Africa amount to 75 billion shillings, while Kenya’s exports to Pretoria stand at only 7 billion shillings.
On trade and investment, we noted with satisfaction the upward trajectory of our bilateral trade, which grew from US dollars 590 million in 2024 to 650 million dollars in 2025, an increase of 60 million dollars or more than 10 percent in a single year.
William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya
The agreements also cover social and cultural areas. The partnership on gender equality aims to increase women’s participation in economic and decision-making spheres, while the one focused on technical and vocational education and training seeks to strengthen skills and improve youth employability. The initiative addresses a critical challenge in Kenya, where young people account for 80% of job seekers, amid a shortage of mid-level skills. On the South African side, the focus is on aligning training with labour market needs, as more than 58% of young people face unemployment, largely due to a lack of technical qualifications suited to the private sector.
We welcomed the proposed Kenya-South Africa Business Council and commended the business forum convened alongside this visit, which turns commitment into commerce. We affirmed health, aviation and education as strategic pillars of our shared development and our sectors that improve the well-being of our citizens, connect our people and build the human capital that will shape our continent’s future.
William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya
With these new signings, the total number of bilateral agreements between the two countries now stands at 34. This figure highlights the depth of a diplomatic partnership built since the restoration of relations between South Africa and Kenya in 1994, and which continues to expand into key sectors such as tr
