President William Ruto has reaffirmed Kenya’s growing partnership with Belgium, saying the two countries continue to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, renewable energy and climate action.
In a statement shared after meeting Belgium’s outgoing ambassador to Kenya, Peter Maddens, Ruto said the long-standing diplomatic ties between Nairobi and Brussels had received a significant boost following his business engagements in Belgium earlier this year.
According to the president, his June 2026 business roundtable in Brussels opened fresh opportunities for collaboration, with Belgian companies expressing keen interest in investing in Kenya, particularly in the agriculture sector.
Ruto noted that Belgium remains the leading destination for Kenyan coffee, making it one of Kenya’s key trading partners in Europe.
“Kenya and Belgium share strong bilateral and diplomatic relations anchored on trade and investment, renewable energy and climate action,” Ruto said.
“These ties have been boosted by my recent business roundtable in Brussels in June 2026. On trade, Belgium is the leading destination for Kenyan coffee. Consequently, many businesses in that country have expressed interest in agribusiness investment,” he added.
The head of state made the remarks while bidding farewell to Ambassador Peter Maddens, who has completed his diplomatic tour of duty in Kenya.
Ruto thanked the envoy for his contribution to strengthening relations between the two countries during his tenure and wished him success in his next assignment.
“Bid farewell to Belgium Ambassador Peter Maddens, who has completed his tour of duty in Kenya. Wished him well on his next assignment,” the president said.
Kenya and Belgium have maintained cordial diplomatic relations over the years, collaborating in areas including trade, development cooperation, climate resilience, renewable energy and investment. The latest remarks underscore the government’s push to attract more foreign investment while expanding export markets for Kenyan products, especially coffee.
