International

Thuringia meets Kenya: New perspectives for international economic partnerships.

A week that creates connections: Kenyan delegation is thrilled with Thuringia.

Published

25.06.2026

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Hakim Kennich

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It often all begins with an initial conversation, an exchange of ideas for innovative technologies. Such moments characterized the visit of the Kenyan business delegation to Thuringia. They could mark the beginning of long-term cooperation between East Africa and the Free State of Thuringia.

From June 14th to 19th, 2026, a 13-member delegation from Taita Taveta County traveled to Thuringia. Representatives from politics and business specifically explored the innovation landscape of the Free State. They made stops in Jena, Weimar, and Erfurt, among other places.

Their focus: industries that are of central importance to both Thuringia and Kenya and for which cooperation is promising and profitable. These are primarily:

Infrastructure and construction
Energy, Green Tech
Water and food technologies

Tourism and hospitality
Raw materials and mining

Whether visiting the Jena Technology Park, research institutions like the IAB in Weimar, or Thuringian companies in the food and agricultural technology sectors, each stop offered opportunities for exchange, inspiration, and concrete starting points for further collaboration. A particular highlight of the week was the Kenya (East Africa) Country Economic Symposium at the COMCENTER Brühl Erfurt business center. Here, Thuringian companies and the delegation came together in a pitch and match format – direct, practical, and on equal footing. Keynote speeches from Thuringia's Minister of Economic Affairs, Colette Boos-John, and the Deputy Governor of Taita Taveta underscored the strategic importance of this cooperation.

Kenya is East Africa's largest economy and a major logistics hub. A dynamic digital economy, along with agriculture and services, drives its growth. As part of Kenya Vision 2030, the country is modernizing its transport and energy networks and promoting green hydrogen and e-mobility. Global Gateway funding is also being used to expand the region's central trade route. Nairobi is known as the "Silicon Savannah" and is home to significant innovation centers for international companies.

This opens up a wide range of opportunities for Thuringian companies:

Market access in East AfricaDirect Contact with political and economic decision-makers
Technological knowledge transferEspecially in agriculture, energy and sustainable solutions
New business areas: Cooperations in innovative industries
Long-term partnerships: Networking of business, research and politics

The delegation visit in June showed that Thuringia possesses precisely the skills that are in demand internationally and currently also in Kenya.

Thus, after a week full of encounters, what remains are not only new business cards on the desk and memories, but also a growing network between Thuringia and Kenya. The conversations that began in Jena, the ideas that were further developed in Weimar, and the Contact made in Erfurt form the basis for future projects.

Kenya Inside | Facts

Gross domestic product: approximately USD 136 billion. This makes the country the largest economy in East Africa. Population: approximately 58 million people. Kenya's
The population is young, digitally connected, and drives dynamic economic development.
Economy: In comparison to other African countries, Kenya is economically broadly diversified.
Key sectors: Agriculture (approx. 21%), Industry (approx. 16%), Services (approx. 56%). The capital and labor markets are comparatively well-developed. Furthermore, the country has an innovation-driven start-up sector, particularly in the areas of fintech, insuretech, climate and mobility technologies, agritech, and health technologies.