A high-level delegation of over 50 Dutch companies, represented by about 150
participants, has begun a four-day Kenya-Netherlands Trade Mission tour in
Kenya.
The delegation which is led by Netherlands Foreign Trade and Development
Minister Reinnette Klever, has already held a round table meeting with four
principal secretaries, focusing on Sustainable Agriculture and Water.
The trade mission aims to enhance trade, investment, and economic
diplomacy between the two nations, strengthening bilateral economic and
diplomatic relations.
Speaking at the Trade Mission Kick-Off Seminar in Nairobi, Ambassador of
the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kenya Henk Jan Bakker underscored the strong
economic ties between the two countries.
He noted that the Netherlands is among Kenya’s top three export trading
partners and the largest within the European Union, with a trading volume
exceeding that of all other EU countries combined.
“In 2023, Kenya exported $706M worth of goods—primarily agricultural
produce and cut flowers—to the Netherlands, an annualized increase of 4.84%
from $557M in 2018. The Netherlands also exported $377M to Kenya. This
showcases the significant contribution of the Netherlands to Kenya’s export
earnings,” Ambassador Bakker said.
The trade mission which is running from Monday to Thursday coincides with
the State Visit of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen
Máxima, underscoring the strong economic and diplomatic ties between Kenya and
the Netherlands.
This mission on Sustainable Agriculture and Water highlights the vital
link between these sectors in food security, economic stability, and
sustainability.
Agriculture is Kenya’s economic backbone, yet opportunities in market access, compliance, and value addition remain untapped.
As a water-scarce country, Kenya can enhance water management to drive sustainable
growth.
Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Reinette Klever on
her part highlighted that companies, knowledge institutions, NGOs, and financial
institutions participating in the trade mission have significant expertise in
sustainable agriculture and water and are looking for Kenyan counterparts to
turn this know-how into action.
She emphasized the need for collaboration to improve the ease of doing
business in Kenya.
“The State Visit of the Netherlands to Kenya marks the deepening
relations between our two countries and explores the growing opportunities
while addressing joint challenges such as climate, responsible business
conduct, and innovation. Kenya is an important partner to the Netherlands and
will only become more so in the years to come,” said Minister Klever.
The Principal Secretaries who attended the meeting include the PS for investment
Abubakar Hassan, Dr. Juma Mukhwana for Industry,
Agriculture PS Dr. Paul Rono and Irrigation PS Ephantus Kimotho.
The government delegation underscored the efforts by the government to
establish county aggregation and industrial Parks, as a way of encouraging
investors to engage in value addition of raw materials.
The Dutch trade mission delegation will participate in sector-specific seminars, a business forum, business-to-business matchmaking sessions with the Kenyan private sector, and government institutions, and field visits to key agricultural and water sector businesses and project sites.
Public-private partnerships for large-scale infrastructure development and financial sector institutions and opportunities linked to trade facilitation, export financing, and investment in these two sectors feature as key joint topics of discussion.
The agricultural visits will offer insights into floriculture, vegetable
production, and export logistics, showcasing opportunities for investment in
climate-smart farming, agro-logistics, and value addition to enhance Kenya’s
global competitiveness.
The water-focused delegation will explore case studies of projects
undertaken by Dutch water sector institutions alongside their Kenyan
counterparts.
They will also have an opportunity to visit project sites in Nairobi and
Nakuru, offering insights into water-related nature-based solutions, water
treatment and supply, and sustainable urban water management linked to the
Water as they Leverage Nakuru sponge city concept.
With Kenya’s strategic position as a regional trade hub, Dutch expertise
in agriculture, water, and financing solutions will be critical in accelerating
sustainable development and investment.
The partnerships formed during this trade mission will continue to
strengthen economic ties, bridge financing gaps, and create lasting value for
both countries.
