Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to driving continental integration and boosting intra-African trade at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 in Algiers. Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki, who led Kenya’s high-level delegation, lauded the summit’s role in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework. Alongside National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, DP Kindiki showcased Kenya’s strategic investments in infrastructure and technology designed to connect African economies and unlock regional prosperity. His leadership underlined Kenya’s ambition to serve as a trade and logistics hub for the continent.
In his address, DP Kindiki emphasized Kenya’s transformative projects that align with AfCFTA objectives. He highlighted the Lamu Port and LAPSSET Corridor, which links Kenya to Ethiopia and South Sudan through roads, pipelines, and digital connectivity, with future railway extensions already planned. The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) also featured prominently as a cornerstone of regional integration, with its planned extensions aimed at eventually connecting the Indian Ocean to the West African coast. These initiatives, according to DP Kindiki, are critical to creating efficient transport corridors that will ease the flow of goods and services across borders.
Kenya’s focus on digital connectivity further strengthened its case as a regional trade leader. DP Kindiki revealed that the country has already deployed 24,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable, part of a wider 100,000-kilometer project to be completed within two and a half years. This digital backbone will support seamless trade under AfCFTA, while Kenya’s mobile money innovations continue to inspire continent-wide adoption. He also called for the strengthening of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to enable real-time settlements in local currencies, eliminating the cost and delays of dollar-based trade transactions.
Addressing Africa’s fiscal challenges, DP Kindiki advocated for innovative financing models, particularly the expanded use of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). This approach, he argued, will ensure trade-enabling infrastructure is delivered despite shrinking fiscal space and debt pressures across many African states. His message demonstrated Kenya’s pragmatic and solution-driven outlook, further proving the Deputy President’s dedication to assisting President William Ruto in ensuring the government delivers on its economic transformation agenda.
Inclusivity remained at the heart of Kenya’s message in Algiers. DP Kindiki stressed that Africa’s prosperity must cut across gender, age, and regions. “Women and young people must be deliberately included in our growth story,” he declared, underscoring Kenya’s vision of equitable development. This approach resonated strongly with the summit’s theme, Gateway to New Opportunities, reflecting Kenya’s role as a thought leader in shaping a more inclusive continental trade agenda.
The announcement that Nigeria will host IATF 2027 in Lagos signals the fair’s rotation across Africa’s regions, with Kenya positioning itself as a potential host for the 2029 edition. Kenya’s robust participation, backed by ambitious infrastructure and digital strategies, strengthened its profile as a future hub for continental trade. As the Algiers summit concluded, Kenya’s presence not only reinforced its continental trade vision but also highlighted DP Kindiki’s dedication to serving the nation and supporting President Ruto’s mission of delivering prosperity through regional integration.
