Kenya and South Africa have signed six new cooperation agreements aimed at boosting trade, maritime connectivity, skills development, and cultural exchange as the two nations seek to deepen a partnership that has grown over more than three decades.
The agreements were witnessed at the Union Buildings in Pretoria during President William Ruto’s state visit to South Africa, where he held bilateral talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The signing signals a renewed commitment by both countries to strengthen and elevate their bilateral relations.
“As a testament to our growing ties, we have today witnessed the signing of six instruments,” President Ruto said.
He noted that the agreements cover trade facilitation, shipping and maritime cooperation, gender equality and women’s empowerment, technical and vocational education and training, arts and heritage, and sports and recreation.
The two leaders said the new agreements build on a long-standing framework of cooperation established through the Joint Commission for Cooperation in 2007, with ongoing efforts to upgrade the arrangement into a Strategic Partnership Framework.
On economic ties, the leaders highlighted steady growth in bilateral trade, which increased from $590 million (about Sh76.11 billion) in 2024 to $650 million (about Sh83.85 billion) in 2025, representing growth of more than 10 per cent in one year.
“We acknowledged that real obstacles remain, including tariff and non-tariff barriers, limited market access, and regulatory constraints,” Ruto said.
To address these challenges, the two leaders directed their trade ministers to fast-track the implementation of decisions reached under the Seventh Joint Trade Committee. They also agreed to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Tripartite Alliance to expand market access and strengthen intra-African trade.
“We therefore directed our Trade ministers to dismantle these barriers by fully implementing the directives of the Seventh Joint Trade Committee,” President Ruto said.
Both countries said the agreements reflect a deliberate shift from traditional cooperation frameworks towards more practical, action-oriented partnerships focused on delivering tangible results.
