Ruto: African countries must trade more with each other
President William Ruto has called on African countries to engage in intertrade activities to grow trade and economic prosperity across the continent.
Ruto made his remarks on Thursday, August 21, 2025, during the 9th TICAD preliminary session on the Economy in Yokohama, Japan, while emphasizing that Africa must shift its focus towards intra-African trade and value addition rather than overreliance on foreign markets.
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“According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Africa must trade more with itself to unlock the first potential of markets, open reverse opportunities for our people, create wealth, and drive inclusive prosperity,” Ruto said.
On his part, the Head of State noted that agriculture remains Africa’s greatest untapped engine of prosperity, as it employs more than 60% of the people while contributing nearly a quarter of the continent’s GDP, yet its promise is far from being realized.
“Agriculture remains Africa’s greatest untapped engine of prosperity; it employs more than 60% of our people and contributes nearly a quarter of the continent’s GDP, yet its promise is far from being realized,” Ruto noted.
Similarly, Ruto further stressed the continent’s urge to feed itself while also working towards feeding the whole world with agricultural produce.
“With 65% of the world’s remaining arable land, Africa should not only feed itself but also feed the world,” Ruto added.
Kenya-Japan trade barriers
Meanwhile, President William Ruto’s remarks come at the height of the trade barriers conversation, whereby he called on Japan to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers that hinder the entry of Kenyan agricultural products, particularly avocados and tea, into the Japanese market.
Ruto made his remarks on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Yokohama City.
At the time, Ruto also highlighted the longstanding partnership between Kenya and Japan, which spans over six decades. Ruto also acknowledged the significant growth in bilateral trade, noting a 33% increase in 2024.
However, according to the Head of State, the bilateral trade has been in favor of Japan, whereby Kenya has been left out. He further emphasized the need for more equitable access for Kenyan exports.
Kenya and Japan have a strong and cordial partnership that goes back 60 years. Our trade has grown exponentially in that period, with trade growing by 33 percent in 2024. However, the trade relationship is heavily in favor of Japan,” Ruto said.
