Ruto Heads to Spain and UK for Major Deals, Global Finance Overhaul Push
NAIROBI – President William Ruto leaves Kenya on Sunday for official visits to Spain and the United Kingdom, where he is expected to sign key bilateral agreements and advocate for sweeping reforms to global financial systems.
In London, Ruto will meet UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to sign the updated Kenya–UK Strategic Partnership 2025–2030, a five-year framework aimed at deepening cooperation in trade, technology, security, and climate action.
According to State House, the agreement targets a doubling of bilateral trade by 2030 and outlines plans to equip Kenyan youth with digital skills, bolster regional stability, and counter terrorism and cyber threats.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed confirmed that the UK government will help mobilize £1.5 billion in new investments across Kenya by 2030, focusing on sectors like infrastructure, energy, and digital technology.
One of the centerpiece projects, Nairobi Railway City, will receive renewed support as part of the partnership’s “trade and green growth” pillar. The project is intended to modernize Nairobi’s central business district into a sustainable, transit-oriented hub.
Mohamed also disclosed that Lloyd’s of London plans to establish a regional underwriting hub in Nairobi, under the Nairobi International Financial Centre (NIFC). The move is expected to position Kenya as a financial gateway to Sub-Saharan Africa.
While in London, President Ruto will deliver a keynote speech at The Africa Debate, a global investment forum hosted by Invest Africa. His remarks will focus on strategic partnerships tied to Kenya’s economic agenda.
Before the UK visit, Ruto will first travel to Seville, Spain, where he is scheduled to attend the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. The summit, which brings together world leaders, is expected to address challenges in development finance amid growing global instability.
Ruto is expected to advocate for major reforms in the international financial system, including a shift in how multilateral institutions respond to crises such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
“He will call for stronger multilateral coordination in response to global shocks, rising inequality, and worsening climate emergencies,” Mohamed said in a statement.
In Seville, the President will also co-chair a high-level session and hold bilateral talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI. The discussions will center on clean energy, youth empowerment, and climate resilience sectors Ruto’s administration has prioritized under Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
Ruto’s tour comes at a time when Kenya seeks to position itself as a key regional player in trade, finance, and climate diplomacy. His engagements in Europe are expected to reinforce Kenya’s push for fairer global financial rules and attract critical investment to fuel domestic development.
