NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 22 – The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has partnered with Real Sources Africa (RSA) in a fresh push to turn Kenyan diplomatic missions into engines of economic diplomacy and gateways for local enterprises to access global markets.
The partnership was unveiled during the official launch of four verified digital trade platforms—Biashara Link, Deal House, Digital Policy Tracker, and Asili Markets, RSA’s flagship Pan-African retail store. The platforms are designed to reduce verification hurdles, ease market access, and create structured channels for African goods to reach international buyers.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said the collaboration reflects Kenya’s new foreign policy, adopted in December 2024, which places economic diplomacy at the heart of external engagement.
“Our diplomatic missions will now serve as hubs for the furtherance of economic diplomacy. The government has made progress in expanding productivity across key sectors including coffee, tea, dairy, horticulture, and fisheries, while negotiating market access with partners such as the European Union, China, the UAE, and the United States,” said Sing’Oei.
He noted that while Kenya enjoys preferential access to more than 800 million consumers through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Tripartite Area, and the East African Community, the major barrier remains lack of timely market intelligence.
“It is not simply a question of transport connectivity, but an informational gap—knowing what we produce, in what quantities and quality, versus what global markets demand. This partnership directly addresses that gap,” he added.
Digital trade facilitation
RSA, accredited by the AfCFTA as a trading company, aggregates SMEs and cooperatives into structured supply chains, provides export market access, and advocates policy alignment. Through its platforms such as Deal House and Biashara Link, the company streamlines trade finance, logistics, and market intelligence.
The newly launched Asili Markets will serve as a flagship Pan-African retail store and distribution hub, positioning Kenyan and African products for global promotion.
RSA Chief Executive Officer Felix Chege said the digital-first approach will embed trade facilitation into Kenya’s missions abroad, enabling them to respond faster and more transparently to business inquiries.
“Our diplomatic missions are one of the tools we require to reach our target markets. This collaboration ensures that Kenyan SMEs now have a structured channel to meet global demand,” he said.
The initiative builds on RSA’s Trade Connect Africa programme, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Trade, Cooperatives and MSMEs, which aggregates supply and links it with international demand.
Broad engagement
The event, hosted jointly by MOFA and RSA, featured keynote addresses, platform presentations, ribbon-cutting, B2B networking sessions, and a media showcase. It brought together diplomatic missions, trade attachés, foreign chambers of commerce, verified Kenyan exporters, strategic partners, and the media.
Organisers said the platforms are expected to secure wide visibility among policymakers, investors, and businesses, positioning Kenya as the gateway for verified AfCFTA trade while deepening linkages between exporters and international markets.
