By Veronicah Stellah
Kenya and South Korea have signed a $485 million (Ksh63 billion) concessional development funding agreement on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Summit. This includes $238 million (Ksh30 billion) dedicated to the Konza Digital Media City Project.
President William Ruto emphasized that the project will significantly enhance Kenya’s digital ecosystem, a crucial government initiative aimed at expanding digital and creative economy opportunities for young Kenyans at the Konza Technopolis. “This project will provide an excellent digital media and entertainment ecosystem for research, training, and the propagation of new technologies,” he stated.
Ruto praised South Korea for the Economic Innovation Partnership Programme, which further supports Konza Technopolis. He made these remarks during talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol of Korea at the Korea International Exhibition Centre in Goyang, near Seoul.
President Ruto also expressed gratitude to President Yoon for Korea’s support in establishing the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KENYA-AIST), modeled after the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. He noted that KENYA-AIST is nearing completion and will be unveiled later this year, inviting President Yoon to Kenya for the official opening. “We are confident that this institution will be a prominent showcase of Africa-Korea scientific and technological collaboration,” he added.
President Ruto highlighted several ongoing collaborative projects between Kenya and Korea, including the development of Bus Rapid Transit Line 5, the Nairobi Intelligent Transport System (ITS), the dualing of the 78km Machakos Junction-Emali Road, water supply and sanitation for Konza Technopolis, and the Vaccine Production Project.
During the meeting, President Ruto urged President Yoon to expedite the implementation of the Kenya-Korea Bilateral Labour Agreement. “I assure you that my government has put measures in place to ensure that any Kenyan employed in Korea complies with Korean laws and terms of engagement, including returning home at the expiry of their employment contracts,” he said.
Ruto also stressed Kenya’s commitment to enhancing trade relations with Korea to achieve balanced trade between the two nations. “Although the balance of trade currently favors Korea, we have an opportunity to work together to reduce this imbalance,” he stated.
He outlined other areas of cooperation Kenya is pursuing with Korea, including maritime development, green industrialization, and manufacturing. Ruto also sought Korea’s support in developing the semiconductor industry through technology partnerships, infrastructure development, and capacity building. “Kenya aspires to be a manufacturing and technology leader on the African continent. We invite Korean expertise to help meet our energy demands, including expanding our renewable power mix to incorporate nuclear energy,” he said.
In response, President Yoon committed to strengthening the relations between Kenya and Korea for the mutual benefit of both nations’ citizens. He affirmed Korea’s readiness to support Kenya’s ambitious transformation agenda in technology, infrastructure development, and water and dam programs.
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