Ruto hold talks with Estonian President Karis on digital transformation

Nancy Marende 22nd September, 2025 11:29 PM

President William Ruto and Estonian President Alar Karis on September 22, 2025. PHOTO/@WilliamsRuto/X

President William Ruto has held bilateral talks with Estonian President Alar Karis on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

In a statement on Monday, September 22, 2025, the head of state noted that Kenya is keen to deepen ties with Estonia in the area of digital transformation.

Also Watch: “I am unique and that’s why I must transform Kenya”- William Ruto

“We continue to deepen our ties with Estonia and explore new areas of partnership, particularly in digital transformation, to build a robust digital economy that benefits our people,” he stated.

This comes a month after the government challenged Kenyan youth to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital innovation, and technical skills as a springboard for job creation and national development.

Speaking during the 2025 World Youth Skills Day celebrations, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary (CS) Rebecca Miano officially launched the 2025 Tourism AI Solutions Hackathon, encouraging young people to harness their digital talents to revolutionise the tourism sector.

“Kenya’s future lies in the hands of our tech-savvy youth – digital natives fluent in AI and innovation,” stated Miano.

Also Watch: Tourism CS Rebecca Miano Pushes for Lifting of Lamu Travel Advisory to Boost Tourism.

Digital transformation

Furthermore, the CS commended the collaborative efforts behind the hackathon, which was organised by the Ministries of ICT, Labour, and Tourism in partnership with the Nation Media Group, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and other stakeholders.

Cabinet Secretary for Wildlife and Tourism, Rebecca Miano at a past event. PHOTO/@rebecca_miano/X

She emphasised that digital transformation must be viewed as a national priority under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

“With over 80 per cent of the hospitality workforce being youth, it is time they lead the digital transformation,” she proposed.

On his part, Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary (PS) Shadrack Mwadime echoed the call, stressing that the government is committed to aligning training programmes with labour market demands to ensure employability.

“It is immoral to train youth and leave them without the ability to secure employment or start their own ventures,” noted Mwadime.

He called for real-time curriculum reviews and emphasised that Generation Z is not just seeking jobs but meaningful opportunities to contribute to society.