U.S.–Kenya Roundtable Explores Pathways to Mobilize Private Capital and Deepen Trade Ties

The State Department for Investment Promotion participated in the U.S.–Kenya Trade and Investment Roundtable held at the Trade and Development Bank (TDB) Group Headquarters in Nairobi, bringing together senior government officials, development finance leaders and private sector representatives to strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

The high-level engagement was convened by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and featured Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, CBS, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Investment Promotion; Florizelle Liser, President and CEO of CCA; and Admassu Tadesse, Chairman and Group Managing Director of TDB Group. Also, in attendance were Jas Bedi, Chairman of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), John Mwendwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Investment Authority (Invest Kenya) and other U.S. and Kenyan stakeholders.

Discussions focused on practical strategies to mobilize private capital and strengthen U.S.–Kenya investment flows. Participants explored how public capital can be leveraged to catalyze larger pools of private sector investment, particularly through institutional investors. Key approaches highlighted included the use of de-risking instruments, blended finance models and strengthened governance and institutional frameworks to support sustainable investment.

Examples from countries such as India and South Africa were cited, particularly infrastructure investment vehicles and credit guarantee schemes that have successfully unlocked private capital. The meeting also explored opportunities to scale innovative financing mechanisms, including the Green Investment Fund (GIF) that could grow from an initial $40 million target to $200 million to support climate-aligned investments.

Principal Secretary Abubakar reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an enabling investment environment. “The Government of Kenya remains fully committed to fostering private investment-led growth by strengthening investor protection, digitizing services and advancing reforms that make Kenya a competitive and predictable investment destination,” he said.

The roundtable also highlighted the strength of U.S.–Kenya trade relations. Bilateral trade reached $3.3 billion in 2024, reflecting an 18 percent increase from the previous year. Participants welcomed the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through 2026 and underscored the importance of advocating for a longer-term framework to provide certainty for investors and exporters.

Florizelle Liser emphasized CCA’s continued focus on expanding commercial engagement between the United States and Africa. “For more than three decades, CCA has worked to expand trade and investment opportunities between the United States and Africa and Kenya remains a priority partner given its role as a commercial and financial hub for the region,” she said.

Participants further discussed opportunities to strengthen engagement through upcoming initiatives, including the U.S.–Africa Business Summit scheduled for Mauritius in July 2026 and the Kenya–U.S. investment conference aimed at showcasing Kenya’s investment potential to American companies.

The roundtable reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to advancing reforms, strengthening investor facilitation and deepening partnerships with U.S. stakeholders to position the country as a leading investment hub in Africa.