Ruto Leaves for Madagascar as June Foreign Trips Continue
President William Ruto has travelled to Madagascar for an official State visit, only a few days after returning to Kenya from a five-day tour of Europe that ended with his participation in the G7 Summit in France.
Newshub.co.ke has established that the President is accompanied by several Cabinet Secretaries as Kenya seeks to strengthen its diplomatic and economic relationship with the Indian Ocean island nation.
The visit is expected to open new opportunities for cooperation in key sectors and deepen the partnership between the two countries.
Among the senior government officials travelling with the President are Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui, ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo, and Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
The three ministers are expected to take part in a Kenya-Madagascar Business Forum, where government officials and private sector representatives from both countries will explore new investment opportunities, trade partnerships and areas of economic cooperation.
While in Madagascar, President Ruto will join the country in marking its 66th Independence Day celebrations before holding high-level bilateral talks with Madagascar’s leadership.
The discussions are expected to centre on strengthening cooperation in agriculture, information and communication technology (ICT), trade, aviation and other sectors that are considered important for boosting economic growth and regional integration.
Kenya is also expected to use the visit to promote stronger commercial ties with Madagascar by encouraging increased trade, investment and business exchanges between the two countries.
Officials believe closer collaboration in agriculture and technology could create new opportunities for businesses while improving economic growth in both nations.
The Madagascar trip adds to President Ruto’s growing list of international engagements this year. Since the end of April, he has now undertaken seven foreign visits, having previously travelled to Kazakhstan, South Africa, Belgium, Norway, Finland and France.
The government says these visits are part of its broader strategy to strengthen Kenya’s diplomatic relations, attract foreign investment and create more economic opportunities for Kenyans.
The State visit comes only weeks after President Ruto welcomed Madagascar’s transitional leader, Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, to Nairobi during the Africa Forward Summit held in May.
During their meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, investment and regional development while strengthening the long-standing friendship between Kenya and Madagascar.
At the time, President Ruto praised Madagascar for the progress it had made in constitutional and governance reforms.
He also reiterated Kenya’s commitment to working closely with the island nation in promoting economic growth, regional stability and stronger cooperation across the Indian Ocean region.
The current visit is also historically significant because it marks the first official State visit by a Kenyan Head of State to Madagascar since both countries gained independence.
Government officials view the trip as an important milestone that could pave the way for stronger diplomatic ties and long-term economic collaboration between Nairobi and Antananarivo.
Despite the government’s optimism, the President’s frequent international travel has continued to attract criticism from some Kenyans.
The latest trip has once again sparked debate over the number of overseas visits undertaken by the Head of State, with critics questioning the cost of the trips and the continued use of chartered aircraft for official travel at a time when many citizens are facing economic challenges.
However, State House has repeatedly defended the President’s foreign engagements, arguing that the visits are delivering measurable benefits for the country.
According to government officials, the trips have helped Kenya secure new investments, expand trade partnerships, strengthen diplomatic relations and create employment opportunities for thousands of Kenyans.
During his recent European tour, President Ruto announced that Norway had committed to employing at least 1,000 Kenyan seafarers by the year 2030. The programme is expected to begin this year, with the first group of about 120 Kenyans set to secure employment opportunities in the Norwegian maritime sector.
The President also announced that Kenya had secured investment commitments worth Ksh20.9 billion while in Belgium.
According to the government, Ksh15.3 billion will be invested under the European Union-Kenya Digital Partnership to strengthen Kenya’s digital economy, while another Ksh5.6 billion will support the African extension of the Blue Raman submarine cable project, which is expected to improve internet connectivity, digital infrastructure and technological development across the region.
Government officials maintain that such agreements demonstrate the value of the President’s international engagements, arguing that they contribute to economic development, attract foreign capital and create new opportunities for Kenyan businesses and workers.
At the same time, debate is expected to continue over whether the benefits of these foreign visits outweigh the public costs associated with them.
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