Kenya, Djibouti Move to Strengthen Trade and Air Links

Kenya and Djibouti have moved to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, transport and regional connectivity as Nairobi also seeks greater engagement with Kenyans living in the Horn of Africa nation.

Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr Abraham Korir Sing’oei held talks with Djiboutian officials and members of the Kenyan diaspora on the sidelines of the 74th Extraordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Council of Ministers in Djibouti.

During a meeting with Djibouti’s Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mohamed Ali Hassan, Sing’Oei said the two countries were seeking closer cooperation in regional peace, maritime stability, digital infrastructure, trade corridors and economic integration.

The two sides also agreed to accelerate political consultations and work towards concluding negotiations on a new bilateral air services agreement between Kenya and Djibouti.

Sing’oei said improved regional connectivity and trade corridors were important to unlocking sustainable economic growth across the Horn of Africa, a region that continues to grapple with security, humanitarian and economic challenges.

On the sidelines of the IGAD meeting, the PS also met members of the Kenyan community living in Djibouti in an engagement led by Kenya’s Ambassador to Djibouti George Macgoye and John Otieno, the acting chairperson and secretary-general of the Kenyans Djibouti Diaspora Association.

The discussions focused on the experiences of Kenyans living and working in Djibouti and ways of strengthening their participation in Kenya’s national development.

The engagement comes as Kenya increasingly seeks to position its diaspora not only as a source of remittances but also as a pool of skills, investment, business networks and expertise that can contribute to the country's development.

Sing’Oei's visit coincided with a significant IGAD meeting held in Djibouti on September 15, bringing together foreign ministers and senior representatives from the regional bloc's member states.

According to IGAD's official communiqué, the session discussed regional peace and security, institutional reforms and economic cooperation. The meeting also marked the attainment of the required two-thirds ratification threshold for the 2023 IGAD Treaty, paving the way for the treaty's entry into force and strengthening the organisation's legal and institutional framework.

The Council reiterated that instability in one member state has consequences across national borders and called for stronger collective responses to the region's security, governance and humanitarian challenges.

Regional discussions also took place against continuing concerns over security around the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandab, as well as developments in Sudan, Somalia and South Sudan. These challenges have increased the strategic importance of Djibouti, which sits along one of the world's major maritime corridors and hosts the IGAD Secretariat.

Kenya's discussions with Djibouti therefore extend beyond bilateral relations, with Nairobi seeking stronger transport, digital and commercial links as part of broader efforts to deepen economic integration across the Horn of Africa.

For Kenyans living in Djibouti, the diaspora meeting also provided an opportunity to raise issues affecting the community and explore stronger links with government programmes and development initiatives at home.