Ruto leaves for one-day official visit to Burundi

President William Ruto departed for Burundi on Thursday morning, to attend the 23rd Heads of State and Government Summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in Bujumbura.

During the one-day official visit, Ruto will participate in high-level bilateral and trade talks, focused on strengthening regional value chains to deepen COMESA integration, according to State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed.

"He is also scheduled to meet with the presidents of Egypt and Zambia, as well as the prime minister of Ethiopia, among others," Mohamed said.

Talks with Egypt will focus on boosting the Kenya-Egypt partnership, with a shared commitment to boost trade. 

Ruto’s meeting with Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema will explore establishing a Joint Trade Committee to address non-tariff barriers.

The president will also use the forum to rally support for Kenya's bid for the African Union Commission chairperson post. 

This year’s summit marks the 30th anniversary of COMESA, a key trading bloc with a market of 640 million people and a GDP of $1 trillion.

Between 2019 and 2023, Kenya’s exports to COMESA grew by 8.9 per cent, highlighting the potential for regional trade and integration.

The COMESA Heads of State summit is an annual event, which took place in Zambia last year.