Kenya-Korea Deepen Strategic Ties
The Director-General for Political and Diplomatic Affairs (DG/PDA), Amb. Josephat K. Maikara, has held discussions with the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Kenya, H.E. Kang Hyung-Shik, where the two lauded the deepening Kenya–Korea partnership. They noted the strong cooperation already achieved in political, socio-economic, infrastructural, ICT, and digital spheres, and committed to further strengthening ties for mutual benefit.
These discussions come ahead of the official visit by H.E. Woo Won-Shik, Speaker of the 22nd National Assembly of Korea, to Kenya. During his visit, he will preside over the launch of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya-AIST) at Konza Technopolis, a flagship bilateral project expected to drive research, innovation, and higher education in Kenya and the wider East African region.
The Kenya-AIST launch follows key milestones in Kenya -Korea cooperation which include among others, the inaugural Bio-Vaccine Research Conference co-hosted by KAIST and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) which opened new avenues in vaccine development, biotechnology, and public health.
To deepening economic collaboration, Korea Exim Bank is also set to open an office in Nairobi to enhance the execution of projects under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) while KOICA is finalizing a Host Country Agreement (HCA) to expand its development programs in health, education, infrastructure, and climate change mitigation.
The Korean government continues to scale up its direct cooperation with Kenya across critical sectors including but not limited to, Education and Technology where Korea offers scholarships to Kenyan students and is advancing joint research in AI, robotics, and smart infrastructure through institutions like Kenya-AIST.
In health, Korean support is in biotechnology and healthcare, including vaccine development and medical aid which strengthen Kenya’s public health systems. In the area of infrastructure and Green Growth, Korea supports key projects in transport, renewable energy, and smart city development, especially in Konza Technopolis. Through KOTRA and government-led forums, Korea is expanding trade and encouraging Korean companies to invest in Kenyan manufacturing, ICT, and agriculture, while in peace and security, Korea supports Kenya’s peacekeeping efforts in the region as well as broader initiatives on stability and development in East Africa.
As these strategic initiatives unfold, the Kenya–Korea partnership continues to emerge as a model of forward-looking, mutually beneficial cooperation rooted in innovation, sustainable development, and shared global priorities.