As China’s trade with Africa hit a record-breaking USD 295.5 billion in 2024, Kenya is seizing the opportunity to reshape its economic strategy. Speaking at the Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) in Changsha, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi emphasized the need for balanced, value-added, and future-ready trade relations with China.
Highlights:
- China-Africa trade reached USD 295.5 billion in 2024.
- Mudavadi represented Kenya at the CAETE in Changsha, China.
- Kenya is pushing for trade deals that favour value addition and sustainability.
- The Expo serves as a platform for investment, diplomacy, and collaboration.
- Kenya aims to position itself as a central hub in Africa-China economic ties.
Main Story
With China cementing its role as Africa’s largest trading partner, Kenya is looking to recalibrate its position within the fast-growing China-Africa trade space. Speaking at the CAETE opening in Changsha, Hunan Province, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi stressed the urgency of ensuring Kenya’s trade relations reflect national development goals and economic resilience.
Mudavadi underscored that Kenya’s participation in the Expo wasn’t just symbolic. It marked a deliberate push to move away from raw commodity exports and toward value-added production. The goal, he said, is to create more jobs, grow domestic industries, and secure long-term trade sustainability.
The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is a flagship event fostering trade deals, investment partnerships, and economic dialogue between China and African nations. For Kenya, the Expo offers a prime opportunity to tap into new markets, attract infrastructure financing, and deepen sectoral collaborations across manufacturing, agriculture, technology, and more.
Positioning Kenya as a vital gateway in the China-Africa relationship, Mudavadi called for trade policies that balance mutual benefit with national priorities. He urged Chinese investors and partners to prioritize local sourcing, skills development, and industrial partnerships that uplift Kenyan communities.
As Kenya leans into the expanding China-Africa partnership, the message from Changsha is clear: trade must evolve from transactions to transformation—and Kenya is ready to lead that shift.
