Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi has reaffirmed Kenya’s push to strengthen its long-standing partnership with Japan, following high-level talks with visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Nairobi.
Mudavadi said Kenya is keen on unlocking more value from the over six-decade relationship, describing Japan as a dependable development partner whose support continues to shape key sectors of the economy.
The talks focused on expanding cooperation in trade, investment and technical exchange, with both sides signalling a renewed commitment to deliver tangible results.
During the meeting, Kenya secured a major boost after formalising Japan’s grant support for the Human Resource Development Scholarship Programme, a move expected to strengthen skills development and build local expertise.
Mudavadi noted that beyond funding, the two countries are now placing greater emphasis on transparency, accountability and efficient execution of joint projects, an approach he said is key to ensuring real impact on citizens.
“Japan remains a critical partner in our development journey. We are now shifting focus to a more results-driven engagement that delivers measurable outcomes for our people,” he said.
The discussions also explored new opportunities to grow trade volumes, address the existing trade imbalance, and open up more market access for Kenyan products.
Motegi, on his part, described Kenya as a strategic partner in Africa, reaffirming Japan’s commitment to scaling up cooperation across priority sectors.
The engagement brought together senior officials from both governments, including Kenya’s Ambassador to Japan Moi Lemoshira and Japan’s Ambassador to Kenya Matsuura Hiroshi.
The visit signals renewed momentum in Kenya’s foreign policy agenda, positioning the country to attract more investment, strengthen global partnerships and drive economic growth.