Kenya, Finland strengthen ties with new deals and expanded cooperation

Kenya and Finland have taken a major step in strengthening their long-standing partnership with the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding focused on political consultations and peace mediation.

The agreements were witnessed during Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s historic first State Visit to Kenya on Monday, which marks six decades of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

President William Ruto said the agreements will pave the way for more structured dialogue and support conflict resolution efforts, while also deepening cooperation in areas such as education, tourism, and labour exchange.

"Our respective teams will fast-track cooperation frameworks that will foster knowledge exchange, skills development, institutional partnerships, and deeper people-to-people ties," he said.

The high-level meeting also covered a wide range of priority sectors, including education, health, renewable energy, trade and investment, security, and climate action.

President Ruto described the talks as productive and reflective of the shared values between Kenya and Finland, which include democratic governance and sustainable development.

Education was a key area of focus during the discussions.

Kenya praised Finland’s reputation as a global leader in education and expressed readiness to deepen cooperation in line with the country’s shift to a Competency-Based Curriculum.

"A cooperation framework will soon be concluded, focusing on basic, technical, vocational, and higher education to equip our youth with the skills needed in a digital economy," Ruto said

As part of his visit, President Stubb is also expected to visit a local technical training institution to observe the impact of vocational education.

On healthcare, the leaders shared insights into strengthening systems and improving service delivery.

Ruto highlighted Finland’s strong universal health model and shared updates on Kenya’s ongoing rollout of its own initiative, Taifa Care.

"We agreed to share experiences and explore joint efforts to address health challenges and improve service delivery," he added.

In the economic arena, the talks emphasized boosting trade and investment.

Ruto welcomed the participation of a Finnish business delegation, which will engage with Kenyan entrepreneurs in a joint business seminar.

"This underscores our shared commitment to deepening private sector engagement and unlocking mutually beneficial opportunities," he said.

Both countries reiterated their support for the Kenya-EU Economic Partnership Agreement that came into effect in July 2024.

Forestry and environmental protection also featured prominently in the discussions.

Kenya plans to work closely with Finland, which maintains over 75% forest cover, to meet its goal of 30% forest cover by 2032 through the planting of 15 billion trees.

President Ruto said the two countries would cooperate on sustainable forest management, reforestation technology, and biodiversity conservation.

The leaders also committed to stronger multilateral engagement and climate action.

"We reaffirmed our shared commitment to a rules-based international order and fair, inclusive financing for sustainable development," Ruto said, adding that the two countries would also boost partnerships in climate-smart agriculture, clean energy, and environmental conservation.

On regional and global peace, both leaders noted the role of diplomacy in solving conflicts and reaffirmed support for peace efforts in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region.

Ruto expressed Kenya’s continued support for a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasizing dialogue as the preferred path.

As the visit marked a diplomatic milestone, Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to growing the Kenya-Finland relationship for the benefit of both nations.