ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Kenya is making a strategic push to deepen its agricultural exports into North Africa, with Algeria emerging as a key target market for milk powder, tea, and coffee.
This follows high-level bilateral talks between Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, and Algeria’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Exports Promotion, Prof. Kamel Rezig.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
CS Kagwe said Kenya is particularly keen on exporting surplus milk powder—a product whose production has surged significantly—alongside its globally acclaimed tea and coffee.
The move is part of a broader government effort to diversify export destinations, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost earnings for farmers.
“Kenya produced over 5.3 billion litres of milk in 2024, and with increasing investments in value addition, we are positioning ourselves to meet regional demand,” Kagwe noted.
The two nations agreed to formalize their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at establishing structured trade cooperation and promoting market access.
Algeria, on its part, pledged to host a trade expo to showcase its products to Kenyan businesses. The initiative is expected to foster mutual trade growth and address existing imbalances in bilateral trade.
Kenya also lobbied for the establishment of direct trade routes with North African markets.
While Algerian buyers already import Kenyan goods—such as cut flowers—many of these shipments are currently routed through Europe, particularly via Amsterdam.
Nairobi believes removing these logistical barriers will improve profitability and market efficiency for its exporters.
The meeting underscores Kenya’s broader trade diplomacy agenda, which seeks to strengthen ties across the African continent and enhance the competitiveness of its agricultural sector on the global stage.
“This is not just about trade—it’s about building partnerships that work for our farmers, our economy, and our continent,” CS Kagwe said.
