Kenya’s Foreign Policy Towards Europe and Estonia

Kenya’s foreign policy towards Europe is largely motivated by the need to promote its national interests through trade and investment, as reflected in its 2014 Foreign Policy document (revised 2024). This paper explores Kenya’s relations with Europe and Estonia in areas of security, multilateralism, education, culture, and the diaspora. Despite having already achieved a close partnership, there is room for growth in Europe-Kenya relations. To maximise foreign policy gains, Kenya should fully leverage existing bilateral and multilateral frameworks for cooperation. Meanwhile, Europe needs to customise its exports to Kenya’s needs and pursue well-targeted trade and investment opportunities in areas like manufacturing.

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Kenya has enjoyed friendly relations with European nations since its independence in 1963, viewing Europe as an important partner for economic cooperation, among other areas. Germany became the first European country to recognise Kenya under international law, leading to Kenya opening its first embassy in Europe.[1] Today, Kenya has resident diplomatic missions in 12 European states, with 8 of them being European Union members, whereas 29 European states have embassies in Kenya.[2] As is the case with most African countries, Kenya’s relations with the UK have been shaped by the colonial past and its enduring cultural and institutional legacies, resulting in deeper ties—not because of a special foreign policy posture, but because of shared history.

Economy, Security, and Multilateralism

The EU imported goods worth €1.2 billion from Kenya in 2023 and exported goods worth €1.7 billion to the country. To further enhance trade, the two signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in June 2023 (it entered into force in July 2024).[3] In 2023, China’s trade with Kenya, however, exceeded €7 billion, placing it higher than Europe—both EU and non-EU states—whose trade was valued at €4.2 billion, so Europe has room for growth.[4] Led by the UK, the value of European foreign direct investment in Kenya was approximately €8.5 billion in 2022, accounting for 37.1% of the total.

Military support, training, capacity-building, and joint exercises augment Kenya’s security, counterterrorism, and counter-piracy efforts, hence promoting economic growth and development

Military support, training, capacity-building, and joint exercises with European states augment Kenya’s overall security, counterterrorism, and counter-piracy efforts, hence promoting economic growth and development. In October 2024, EU forces conducted joint exercises with the Kenya Navy and Coast Guard Service, mainly focusing on search and rescue exercises as well as Maritime Interdiction Operations.

Kenya’s defence budget amounted to approximately €1.32 billion for the 2024/25 financial year.[5] Between 2010 and 2021, at least six European countries (Italy, Spain, Serbia, Russia, France, and Germany) supplied arms to Kenya.[6] Kenya and the UK have a defence cooperation agreement, which provides for British military bases on Kenya’s soil.[7] Senior military officials from Kenya and Italy have exchanged visits to strengthen military cooperation.[8] Kenya and France signed two regional maritime security agreements in 2018 to jointly secure the maritime areas of the western Indian Ocean[9]. In June 2024, the EU approved €20 million in assistance measure in the Kenya Defence Forces under the European Peace Facility.[10] This cooperation does not imply, however, that Kenya regards Europe as the guarantor or principal provider of its security; rather, it views Europe as a strategic partner in advancing its domestic and foreign policy objectives.

Kenya and Europe cooperate through the United Nations (UN), for example, in the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti; France, Germany, and the EU have pledged to work with Kenya to achieve the mission’s objectives. Other multilateral forums of cooperation include the African Union (AU)-EU partnership, the World Trade Organisation, and EU security missions in Africa (e.g., the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM, and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, ATMIS). Kenya is also an active participant in the Commonwealth of Nations, enhancing ties with the UK, Cyprus, and Malta. Furthermore, Kenya champions climate governance cooperation, an area where it is a like-minded partner with Europe. In September 2023, Nairobi hosted the inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS); in 2026, it will host the Africa-France Summit, which will also address climate change, among other topics.

Education, Cultural Cooperation, and Diaspora

Europe’s contribution in this area cements its presence in Kenya and ultimately shapes its friendly foreign policy posture. As of 2023, more than 14 000 Kenyan students were studying abroad, including in several European countries (e.g., through different frameworks like the UK’s GREAT Scholarship, the Erasmus+ Programme, and the German Academic Exchange Service). The UK hosts a relatively higher number of Kenyan students compared to any other European country.

Kenya’s Cultural Diplomacy Pillar aims to promote exchanges, partnerships, and global intercultural dialogue. Kenya has had historical ties with Europe: the Fort Jesus, a renowned cultural symbol and a major tourist attraction site in Mombasa, was built by the Portuguese in the 16^th century. The UK, France, Germany, and Italy have established institutes in Nairobi to promote cultural cooperation, with the EU Delegation and other European diplomatic missions organising the annual Nairobi European Film Festival.[11] In September 2024, Kenyan President William Ruto was invited to attend Berlin’s annual citizens’ festival, Bürgerfest, and Kenya used the opportunity to promote its culture in Germany.

Kenya views Europe as a strategic partner in advancing its domestic and foreign policy objectives

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), there were 535 000 Kenyans living abroad in 2020.[12] Out of these, 187 678 resided in Europe, with the UK hosting 139 352 individuals, or approximately 75%. The value of the Kenyan diaspora in Europe cannot be underestimated. To leverage its exceptional potential, Nairobi launched the Diaspora Policy 2024 to boost savings, investments, remittances, and technology transfers. In 2024, the diaspora’s remittances were the country’s largest source of foreign exchange, totalling €4.4 billion, an 18% increase year-on-year, thus making Kenya the leading recipient of remittances in East Africa.[13] As of 2021, Europe was Kenya’s second-largest source of diaspora remittances after North America; the Kenyan diaspora in Europe transferred approximately €625 million back home (or nearly 20% of the total remittances, i.e., €3.43 billion, received in the same year). This demonstrates how important Europe is in shaping Kenya’s economic trajectory. The government has encouraged and catalysed it by establishing the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and introducing the investment fund for the diaspora in 2021.

Kenya-Estonia Relations

Kenya-Estonia relations gained momentum when Estonia opened its first Honorary Consulate in Nairobi in February 2009, and later, a trade office in April 2023. In December 2023, Estonia’s first ambassador to Kenya with residence in Tallinn, HE Mr Daniel Erik Schaer, presented his credentials to the president. Kenyan Ambassador to Estonia with residence in Stockholm, Sweden, HE Ms Angeline Musili formally assumed her position in October 2024. Estonia currently hosts about 50-70 Kenyan nationals, according to the diaspora association. It also grants scholarships to Kenyan students to pursue degrees in Estonian universities, as well as at the Estonian School of Diplomacy.

As like-minded partners committed to climate action, peace, security, and humanitarian initiatives, Kenya and European countries have an opportunity to deepen their cooperation on multilateral platforms

Exchange visits occur regularly across different levels, both in the public and private sectors. In terms of trade, as of 2022, Kenya’s exports to Estonia totalled €2.51 million, while Estonia’s exports to Kenya amounted to €1.62 million.[14] Estonia mainly imports fruit and vegetables from Asia, the EU, and Latin America; however, Kenya can expand its share of this market by leveraging the 2023 Kenya-EU Economic Partnership Agreement, as the value of two-way trade between the countries is relatively low.

Kenya has seen a gradual increase in Estonia’s investments and cooperation opportunities in recent years. According to the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), Estonia was facilitating at least eight cooperation projects in Kenya as of September 2023, particularly in e-learning, digital literacy, and the establishment of national registers.[15]

Room for more

In economic cooperation, Europe stands to benefit from Kenya’s dynamic economy, which grew by 5.4% in 2023, up from 4.8% in 2022—an equivalent to 33% of the entire East African Community (EAC) region, which Kenya owes to its exports, booming manufacturing, and service industries. Estonia, in particular, can enhance its cooperation with Kenya, capitalising on the country’s expanding internet penetration and smartphone usage by targeting areas like digital transformation, digital entrepreneurship, and the education sector.

Security cooperation with European states bolsters Kenya’s overall security. In return, a country like the UK, for instance, gets access to a strategic location in the Horn of Africa for military presence and training, thus securing its interests in the area. Intensified security cooperation with other European states should follow a similar logic. As like-minded partners committed to climate action, peace, security, and humanitarian initiatives, Kenya and European countries have an opportunity to deepen their cooperation on multilateral platforms in a bid to find solutions to global challenges.

Finally, Kenya must strategically pursue every available opportunity to enhance its educational cooperation with Europe. For instance, Kenya can incorporate overseas studies in its diaspora policy and leverage education cooperation opportunities with Europe in digital learning, attract EU funding, and launch joint research projects, which will cumulatively enhance its human capital development. To maintain and further increase the value of its diaspora in Europe to promote its development agenda, Kenya needs to continue to secure legal study and employment opportunities for its citizens in Europe, while also addressing issues surrounding irregular migration.

Endnotes

[1] Federal Foreign Office of Germany, “Germany and Kenya: Bilateral relations,” Federal Foreign Office of Germany website, 10 April 2025.

[2] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, “Directory of Diplomatic Corps and International Organizations 2024/2025,” 2024.

[3] European Commission, “Key Elements of the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement,” 19 June 2023.

[4] “China Exports to Kenya,” Trading Economics, last updated May 2025; European Commission, “Key Elements of the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement,” 19 June 2023; “Kenya,” The Observatory of Economic Complexity, last updated in May 2025.

[5] Parliament of Kenya, “Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Engages MDAs on 2024 Budget Policy Statement,” 24 February 2024.

[6] Natalie Kowling, “Arms Imports into Kenya between 2010 and 2021, by supplier,” Statista, 30 June 2024.

[7] Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, “Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Kenya concerning Defence Cooperation,” 27 July 2021.

[8] Ministry of Defence of Kenya, “Kenya, Italy Military Cooperation,” 19 September 2024.

[9] Embassy of France in Kenya and Somalia, “France and Kenya Sign Two Regional Maritime Security Agreements,” 28 November 2018.

[10] Council of the EU, “European Peace Facility: Council adopts the first ever assistance measure in support of Kenya Defence Forces,” European Council, Council of the European Union, 24 June 2024.

[11] European Union External Action, “European Film Festival in Kenya,” 17 July 2018.

[12] “International Migration From Kenya (2016-2020),” International Organisation for Migration, 2020.

[13] Bob Karashani, “Kenya leads region in diaspora remittances: Somalia and South Sudan most dependent,” The East African, 29 December 2024.

[14] Estonia/Kenya,” The Observatory of Economic Complexity, last updated in May 2025.

[15] “Kenya,” Estonian Centre for International Development, 2025.

The views and opinions contained in this paper are solely of its author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the International Centre for Defence and Security or any other organisation.