Kenya has unveiled a new digital platform aimed at connecting Kenyans living abroad and other diaspora investors with credible investment and development opportunities in the country.
The Kenya Diaspora Impact Platform (KDIP) was launched in New York on Sunday, September 20, 2026, during President William Ruto’s engagement with Kenyans living in the United States on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and is designed to create a structured link between diaspora capital, expertise and networks and opportunities available in Kenya.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the platform would help deepen Kenya’s connection with its citizens abroad while creating avenues for investment, enterprise development and job creation.
“Distance should never be a barrier to investing in Kenya’s future,” Mudavadi said in a statement following the launch.
The unveiling was accompanied by the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent involving the Government of Kenya, the United Nations in Kenya and Equity Group Holdings, marking a partnership aimed at strengthening diaspora participation in Kenya’s economic and development agenda.
Mudavadi signed the declaration on behalf of the Kenyan Government, while Equity Group Holdings Chief Executive Officer James Mwangi represented the private sector. UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya Garry Conille also signed the agreement.
The platform is expected to connect Kenyans abroad with opportunities in community development projects, financing for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), enterprise creation and skills and knowledge transfer.
Speaking during the New York engagement, President Ruto said the diaspora’s contribution to Kenya should go beyond remittances to include investment, expertise, innovation and global networks.
Ruto said the Government was seeking to establish a stronger bridge between Kenyans abroad and opportunities at home, with trust, transparency and measurable results forming the basis of the initiative.
He identified housing, healthcare and agriculture among areas where Kenyans in the diaspora could invest, while also contributing professional expertise and knowledge to enterprises and development initiatives in the country.
The President said the platform should make it easier for Kenyans living abroad to identify and participate in verifiable investment opportunities while enabling their assets, skills and enterprises to contribute to long-term economic development.
The initiative brings together government, the United Nations and the private sector in an effort to formalise diaspora participation in national development and provide a more structured avenue for directing diaspora resources towards productive activities.
Mudavadi said the platform would strengthen the relationship between Kenya and its diaspora by creating opportunities that can translate diaspora capital, skills and networks into tangible outcomes at home.
