Ruto urges EU to support Kenya to exit FATF grey list

President William Ruto has called on the European Union (EU) to increase investment in Kenya, strengthen security cooperation and support the country’s efforts to secure removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

Ruto said Kenya was seeking to elevate its 50-year diplomatic relationship with the EU into a comprehensive strategic partnership focused on trade, investment, technology transfer, development and regional security.

Speaking in Nairobi during a meeting with Heads of European Union Delegations to African countries, the President said the partnership should deliver tangible economic benefits rather than remain centred on diplomatic engagements and agreements.

“Ultimately, our partnership must be measured not by the meetings we hold or agreements we sign, but by the opportunities we create, investments we mobilise and improvements we make in the lives of our people,” Ruto said.

The President identified the EU as Kenya’s largest export market, accounting for 21 per cent of the country’s global exports, particularly agricultural products such as tea, coffee, horticultural produce and cut flowers.

He called for the removal of trade barriers, including stringent sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, high freight costs and inadequate cold-chain infrastructure, which he said continued to disadvantage smallholder farmers.

Ruto also urged the EU to support accelerated negotiations towards a regional East African Community-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement.

On investment, the President called for increased European capital in manufacturing, infrastructure, agriculture, energy and healthcare, saying Kenya wanted investments that would expand local production, facilitate technology transfer and create employment.

He identified the EU’s Global Gateway initiative as a critical platform for mobilising affordable financing for infrastructure and development projects.

The initiative, he said, had already attracted commitments towards the Northern Corridor, fibre-optic connectivity, digital land registration, digital transformation centres and the integration of refugee settlements into host communities.

Ruto urged the EU to expand financing through concessional loans and blended financing instruments while ensuring African enterprises participate meaningfully in the projects.

On digital transformation, the President said Kenya was the first African country to establish a structured Digital Dialogue with the EU, covering infrastructure, artificial intelligence, innovation and digital public services.

He said the next session, scheduled for November 23-24, would explore the expansion of fibre-optic connectivity and the possible extension of the Blue Raman Submarine Cable to Kenya.

The President further called for partnerships between European artificial intelligence research institutions and Kenya’s technology ecosystem to position the country as a producer of technology and intellectual property rather than merely a consumer.

On continental relations, Ruto urged the EU to support the implementation of commitments under the Africa-EU partnership, including the African Union’s Joint Vision 2030 and reforms aimed at strengthening the continental body’s institutional and financial capacity.

He also renewed calls for reforms to the United Nations Security Council, saying Africa’s continued under-representation was an unacceptable historical imbalance.

The President further called for reforms to the international financial architecture to address high borrowing costs and unsustainable debt burdens facing African countries.

On regional security, Ruto welcomed the EU’s additional €75 million approved in April 2026 to support African Union-led missions in Somalia, bringing its total support to nearly €2.8 billion since 2007.

He, however, warned that the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia continued to face serious financial and operational constraints.

He called for sustained EU assistance in aviation, logistics, troop sustenance, medical services and equipment.

Ruto also welcomed a €20 million commitment through the European Peace Facility to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Kenya Defence Forces, expressing hope that the support would be delivered before the end of the year.

The President invited the EU to deepen cooperation with Kenya in maritime security, intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism operations across the Red Sea and Horn of Africa.

On the 2027 General Election, Ruto said Kenya welcomed consultations on the deployment of an EU Election Observation Mission ahead of the August 2027 polls, in accordance with the country’s laws and procedures.

He also appealed for continued EU technical assistance in strengthening anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing frameworks.

The President disclosed that Kenya had addressed 13 of the 21 strategic deficiencies identified by the Financial Action Task Force, adding that the country was working to complete the remaining reforms to secure removal from the FATF grey list and the EU high-risk list.

Kenya’s 50-year diplomatic relationship with the EU, Ruto said, provided a foundation for a more ambitious partnership based on mutual respect, shared responsibility and mutual benefit.