President William Ruto is set to make his 14th foreign trip of the year this evening as he jets out to Yokohama, Japan.
In a statement on Monday, August 18, the State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed relayed that the President will be attending the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), where he is set to meet with other leaders, including Japan's Prime Minister.
"President William Ruto departs this evening to attend the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama," the statement read in part.
He further highlighted the growing partnership Kenya has with Japan, which has hit over Ksh600 billion, the largest for any African country.
As such, the spokesperson relayed that the trip would aim to consolidate relations between the two countries by expanding opportunities in trade, investment and development cooperation.
On the sidelines of the conference, the President will hold bilateral talks with the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, which will focus highly on deepening the Kenya-Japan partnership and exploring new avenues for trade, investment, and international cooperation.
Additionally, Ruto will be hosted at the Imperial Palace by Their Majesties Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.
At the conference, the President is expected to call for a deeper African integration and connectivity to unlock economic potential.
"He will emphasise the African Continental Free Trade Area as a driver of inclusive growth, urge the removal of trade barriers, and seek stronger partnerships with Japan to boost investment in priority sectors," the statement read.
"He will also highlight the need to upgrade infrastructure, energy, logistics, and digital networks to better link Africa with global markets."
Ruto's trip comes just days after he announced that he would be making his first trip to the United States since President Donald Trump took office in February for a second term.
“Next month in the United States, I will meet with the Recording Academy, organisers of the Grammy Awards, to fast-track plans for establishing world-class studios here in Kenya and to set in motion the journey towards eventually hosting an African edition of the Grammy Awards in Nairobi,” Ruto said on Saturday, August 16.
