NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 14 — Trade, innovation, and sustainable development took centre stage as Kenya and Australia marked 60 years of bilateral relations, reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation in science, education, and emerging technologies that will define the next phase of their partnership.
Speaking during the anniversary celebrations in Nairobi, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Immigration and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Matt Thistlethwaite, lauded Kenya’s leadership in innovation and digital finance, noting that Australian firms are increasingly viewing East Africa as a hub for investment and skills exchange.
“Australian companies are contributing to investment and skills transfer here in Kenya. What Kenyan expertise in innovation — especially in digital finance and technology — inspires us in return,” said Thistlethwaite.
“Increasingly, we’ve seen new frontiers in trade, mining technology, and clean energy that will shape the next generation of our engagement.”
Thistlethwaite cited the long-standing collaboration between the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi as an example of science-driven partnership.
According to him, the initiative has fostered knowledge exchange and technology transfer — including the use of food waste to produce sustainable protein — a model now being replicated in the Pacific.
Craving more investment
On his part, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said Kenya is keen to attract more Australian investment in tourism, mining, and sports, while strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.
“Kenyans are craving more Australian investments. We think there is scope for more Australian firms to invest in Kenya, especially in tourism,” said Dr. Sing’Oei, noting that there are more than 22,500 Kenyans currently living, studying, and working in Australia.
According to the 2021 Australian Census, there were 22,348 Kenya-born individuals residing in Australia — up from 17,652 in 2016.
Kenyan student enrolments in Australian institutions have also surged, rising from 2,048 in 2019 to 6,677 in 2023, before settling at 5,573 in 2024.
Trade between the two countries, though modest, continues to grow.
Data from Trading Economics and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that in 2023, Kenya’s exports to Australia were valued at approximately US$25.6 million (Sh3.8 billion), while imports from Australia stood at around US$100.1 million (Sh14.9 billion).
Kenya’s overall merchandise trade volume reached Sh3.81 trillion in 2024, up from Sh3.6 trillion in 2023, with exports totaling Sh1.12 trillion, according to KNBS.
