The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has signed a memorandum of understanding with Real Sources Africa, the country’s official AfCFTA trading company, to digitize trade facilitation across African markets and scale verified transactions for small and medium-sized enterprises.
- •The agreement, concluded during the Gateway Kenya forum in Nairobi, will see Real Sources Africa’s platforms, including Biashara Link, Deal House, Policy Tracker and Asili Markets, deployed across Kenya’s diplomatic missions.
- •The tools are designed to capture market demand, verify counterparties and convert leads into bankable deals under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
- •Many of the largest investor deals and companies often use embassies and diplomatic missions to help gain access to new markets.
“This partnership reflects Kenya’s resolve to embed innovation into our foreign policy instruments and position our missions as engines of trade and investment,” Dr. Korir Sing’oei, Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said at the signing.
Felix Chege, CEO of Real Sources Africa, said the pact was a “pivotal step” in turning high-level agreements into real-world outcomes by marrying digital platforms with diplomatic reach.
“The MOU with Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is a pivotal step in transforming high-level trade agreements into real-world outcomes. By integrating digital tools with diplomatic reach, we are building a future where African trade is structured, verified, and scalable.”
Kenya has positioned itself as a first-mover in implementing the AfCFTA, the world’s largest free-trade area, which aims to dismantle barriers among 55 African Union member states and eight regional economic blocs. Trading under the AfCFTA framework began in 2021 following its ratification in 2019.
Embassies and High Commissions often have trade departments that help coordinate collaborations and partnerships between the countries they are from and where they are based. Many of the largest investor deals and companies often use embassies and diplomatic missions to help gain access to new markets.
The Nairobi event, held under the theme Strengthening Partnerships for a Connected Africa, also featured platform demonstrations, panel discussions with private sector leaders, and commitments from Kenya to use technology to drive AfCFTA-led industrialization, job creation and investment.
The memorandum underscores Kenya’s push to institutionalize economic diplomacy and reinforce its role as a hub for verified, scalable trade within Africa.
