Ruto champions digital trade, global partnerships at Kenya-EU Forum

President William Ruto has outlined Kenya's vision to become a regional hub for software development, unveiling key measures at the Kenya-European Union Business Forum.
Ruto highlighted a reduction in the tax on  digital asset transfers from 3 per cent to 1.5 per cent, a move he said, aimed at fostering a more investor-friendly business environment.
In his address on Monday, May 12, Ruto celebrated the transformative power of digital trade and expanding global economic partnerships.
"Through digitisation, we unlock innovation, catalyse industrialisation, and create seamless access to markets," he said, emphasising the government's commitment to nurturing start-ups and MSMEs.
Ruto also underscored Kenya's strategic trade agreements, connecting the country to markets across Africa, Europe, the United States, and the Gulf.
He highlighted agreements including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Kenya-EU Economic Partnership Agreement, and the U.S. AGOA, which he noted, offers access to markets worth $3.7 trillion, $19 trillion and $27 trillion, respectively.

Ruto said the government is furthering its digital agenda with plans to lay 100,000 km of fibre optic cables and install 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2027.
More than 20,000 government services are being digitised through the e-Citizen platform, and 284 digital hubs are being set up at vocational colleges.
This digital push has already attracted global tech giants such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Apple, alongside international BPO companies like Sama, CCI, and Teleperformance.
Ruto also noted Kenya’s rising status as Africa’s sixth-largest economy, projecting a GDP of $132 billion in 2025, with a 21 per cent appreciation of the currency in 2024.