On 19 August 2026, Deputy Director General, Asia and Pacific Directorate, Amb. Jane B. Makori, held bilateral talks with the Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Thailand to Kenya, H.E. Ms. Jirusaya Birananda, to explore opportunities to deepen and diversify the Kenya–Thailand strategic partnership.
The discussions focused on translating longstanding political goodwill into tangible economic, development and people-to-people outcomes, with priority areas including agriculture, trade and investment, health, tourism, education, culture, development cooperation, the blue economy and maritime cooperation, as well as coordination on regional and multilateral issues.
Kenya and Thailand established diplomatic relations in 1967, and their partnership has progressively expanded across political, economic, development and people-to-people cooperation. The 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027 provides a strategic opportunity to renew the partnership and establish an ambitious forward-looking agenda through high-level exchanges, business and investment forums, cultural and academic programmes, and targeted cooperation initiatives.
A key priority is the revitalisation of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), established in 2005. While the inaugural session identified cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, agriculture, education, health, security and culture, the second session remains outstanding. Convening the next JCBC would provide an important institutional platform for reviewing progress, identifying new areas of cooperation and developing measurable outcomes and deliverables for the bilateral relationship. Cooperation has also evolved to include emerging areas such as the blue economy, fisheries and maritime affairs.
Expanding trade and investment was identified as an important avenue for delivering greater economic value from the partnership. Bilateral trade remains significantly weighted in Thailand’s favour, with Kenya importing approximately US$151.5 million worth of goods from Thailand in 2024, compared with exports of about US$23.1 million. Kenya therefore seeks to address this imbalance by expanding market access for Kenyan products, promoting value addition and strengthening private-sector linkages, while positioning Kenya as an attractive destination for Thai investment in agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, logistics, tourism, healthcare, ICT and infrastructure.
Agriculture presents particularly strong opportunities for practical cooperation. Building on the Thailand–Kenya Agricultural Technology Learning Center at the Kenya School of Agriculture, the two countries can scale up collaboration in irrigation, rice production, agricultural research and technology, mechanisation, post-harvest management and agro-processing. Such cooperation could contribute directly to Kenya’s objectives on food security, productivity, value addition, technology transfer and rural economic development.
The partnership also offers scope for expanded cooperation in health, tourism, education, youth and academic exchanges, digital transformation and innovation, alongside blue economy, fisheries, environmental sustainability and connectivity. These areas provide opportunities to strengthen institutional linkages while creating direct benefits for communities, businesses, students, researchers and young people.
At the regional and multilateral levels, Kenya and Thailand can strengthen coordination on sustainable development, climate action, peace and security, combating transnational organised crime and reform of the multilateral system. The two countries can also leverage their respective positions to advance Africa–ASEAN cooperation, creating additional platforms for trade, investment, knowledge exchange and South–South cooperation.
Looking ahead to 2027, Kenya seeks to use the 60th anniversary not merely as a commemorative milestone, but as a launchpad for a more ambitious and results-oriented phase of bilateral relations. The anniversary could therefore be anchored around a clear programme of deliverables, including the convening of the JCBC, enhanced trade and investment engagements, expanded agricultural and technical cooperation, increased people-to-people exchanges and strengthened coordination on shared regional and global priorities.
The objective is to move the Kenya–Thailand relationship from longstanding friendship to a more structured, mutually beneficial and results-driven strategic partnership that delivers measurable value for both countries and their peoples.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign&Diaspora Affairs, Kenya.
