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President William Ruto with European Council President António Costa in Brussels, Belgium on June 8, 2026. [PCS, Standard]
President William Ruto has challenged Belgian manufacturers to set up factories in Kenya rather than extract the continent's raw materials for processing abroad.
Speaking at the Kenya–Belgium Business Roundtable in Brussels, where he presided over the launch of the Kenya–Benelux Chamber of Commerce (KBCC), Ruto told investors from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to double the number of Benelux firms operating in Kenya and help triple bilateral trade from about $335 million in 2024 to $1 billion by 2030.
"I say to Belgian manufacturers: Do not buy Africa's raw materials to add value elsewhere. Come and build with us. Process Kenya's minerals in Kenya and Africa, on clean power, and help Europe secure the supply chains it needs. Make it in Kenya. Make it in Africa. Make it clean. Sell it in Europe and to the world," said Ruto.
