NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya and Türkiye are seeking to deepen their longstanding diplomatic relationship into a stronger economic and strategic partnership, with trade, investment, tourism, aviation, health, defence and regional security emerging as key areas of cooperation.
The commitment emerged during talks between Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi and a delegation from the Türkiye–Kenya Parliamentary Friendship Group in Nairobi.
Mudavadi said Kenya was keen to attract greater Turkish investment while expanding commercial links between businesses in the two countries.
“Stronger global partnerships should open doors for Kenyan businesses, create jobs and connect our people to bigger markets,” Mudavadi said.
He said the discussions explored opportunities to translate Kenya and Türkiye’s longstanding friendship into tangible economic benefits for citizens and businesses.
Trade and investment at the centre
Mudavadi identified tourism, aviation, manufacturing, investment and trade as priority sectors where stronger bilateral cooperation could generate jobs, promote technology and skills transfer and support Kenya’s integration into regional and global value chains.
The two sides also discussed ways of strengthening commercial ties and increasing Turkish investment in Kenya.
For Nairobi, deeper economic engagement with Türkiye offers an opportunity to diversify investment and trading partners while positioning the country as a gateway to the wider East African market.
Kenya Airways, Turkish Airlines connectivity
A key area of discussion was improved air connectivity between Kenya and Türkiye through stronger cooperation between Kenya Airways and Turkish Airlines.
Enhanced connectivity could facilitate the movement of tourists, investors and business travellers while strengthening people-to-people exchanges.
For Kenya, better air links with Türkiye could also support its ambitions to remain a regional hub for tourism, investment and international business.
The Kenyan delegation was led by Dr Adan Keynan Wehliye, chairperson of the Kenya–Türkiye Parliamentary Friendship Group, while the Turkish delegation was led by Ismail Güneş, a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly for Uşak Province and co-chair of the Türkiye–Kenya Parliamentary Friendship Group.
The engagement highlighted the growing role of parliamentary diplomacy in complementing traditional government-to-government relations.
Türkiye expands engagement in Africa
Güneş pointed to Türkiye’s expanding diplomatic footprint in Africa, noting that Turkish embassies on the continent had increased from 12 to 44.
He said successive high-level exchanges between Kenya and Türkiye had strengthened the political foundations of the relationship.
The parliamentary friendship groups provide an additional channel for maintaining political dialogue, legislative cooperation and advocacy for stronger economic ties.
The development comes as Türkiye continues to deepen its diplomatic and commercial engagement across Africa, seeking to expand partnerships in areas ranging from infrastructure and trade to defence and development.
Defence and regional security
Security and regional stability also featured prominently during the Nairobi discussions.
The Turkish delegation offered to share Türkiye’s experience in counter-terrorism, defence-sector development and the establishment of an indigenous defence industry.
Ankara also highlighted its engagement in Somalia and its wider interest in supporting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.
The delegation referenced two key bilateral defence instruments — the Defence Industry Agreement signed in 2023 and the Defence Cooperation Agreement concluded in May 2026.
The agreements are expected to provide a broader framework for defence cooperation once they progress through the respective legislative processes.
Mudavadi welcomed Türkiye’s contribution to regional and international peace and security, particularly amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.
He noted that conflicts in different parts of the world were increasingly producing consequences beyond their immediate theatres, including disruptions to global supply chains that affect African economies.
Mudavadi encouraged Türkiye to continue its diplomatic and mediation efforts aimed at promoting dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution.
Health cooperation expands
Health also emerged as a potential area for deeper bilateral cooperation.
The Turkish delegation shared its experience in health infrastructure, social health protection and specialised medical services, while expressing readiness to explore partnerships with Kenya in hospital infrastructure, medical training, health technology and health-system management.
The two countries could also cooperate in health tourism, creating opportunities for knowledge and technology transfer while strengthening institutional capacity and access to specialised medical services.
