President William Ruto departs Nairobi for Accra, Ghana, on January 6, 2025. | PHOTO: PCS
President William Ruto will on Monday depart for Doha, Qatar, to attend the United Nations Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), State House has announced.
The three-day global summit, which brings together world leaders, development partners, and private sector representatives, will focus on poverty reduction, decent work, and social inclusion, forming part of a renewed push to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In a statement issued on Sunday, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed said President Ruto’s visit will combine high-level policy engagement with strategic investment diplomacy, as Kenya seeks to attract major infrastructure and energy funding from Qatar and other participating nations.
“The President will hold talks with several world leaders, including His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, and strategic development initiatives,” the statement read.
Focus on Investment, Infrastructure, and Green Growth
According to State House, President Ruto will use his time in Doha to finalize major investment agreements aimed at modernizing Kenya’s infrastructure and accelerating key energy and transport projects.
The deals are expected to channel Qatari capital into sectors such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, health, tourism, agriculture, and logistics, aligning with Ruto’s broader “Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda” (BETA).
Kenya is particularly keen to expand cooperation with Qatar in food security and climate-smart agriculture, an area where the Gulf nation has shown growing interest amid global concerns over food supply chains and climate change.
“Kenya will be seeking expanded Qatari investment in agriculture — with a focus on food security and climate-smart production — in addition to renewable energy, green hydrogen, health, tourism, transport, and logistics,” the statement added.
Officials familiar with the discussions say one of the expected outcomes is a framework for joint agricultural production and value addition, with Kenya providing arable land and technical expertise while Qatar offers financing and access to global markets.
Labour and Skills Opportunities for Youth
President Ruto is also expected to push for an expanded Bilateral Labour Agreement (BLA) between Kenya and Qatar. The current agreement largely covers domestic workers, but the government now wants to include professional and technical jobs, reflecting the growing skills base of Kenya’s youthful workforce.
“This will create new pathways for young Kenyans and support those already working in Qatar as they continue contributing to both economies,” the statement noted.
The move aligns with Ruto’s stated goal of exporting Kenyan expertise globally — not just labour — through a “Labour Mobility Program” that leverages Kenya’s human capital to attract remittances and employment opportunities abroad.
Data from the Ministry of Labour shows that more than 30,000 Kenyans are currently employed in Qatar, with remittances playing a vital role in supporting families and the national economy.
Championing Africa’s Voice in Global Reforms
At the Doha summit, President Ruto will deliver statements on behalf of both Kenya and the Africa Group, advocating for reforms to the global financial architecture and stronger representation of African nations in international decision-making institutions such as the United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Ruto is expected to call for fairer financing mechanisms that reduce the debt burden on developing countries, promote universal access to education, healthcare, and social protection, and enhance shared prosperity through inclusive multilateralism.
“President Ruto will advocate fairer global financial systems, universal access to essential services, strengthened multilateralism, and reforms to increase Africa’s representation in global institutions,” Hussein Mohamed said.
The summit comes at a time when global inequality, climate vulnerability, and economic instability continue to widen the gap between rich and poor nations. Ruto has recently emerged as one of Africa’s most vocal leaders on financial reform, urging wealthier countries to “treat Africa as an equal partner” in global development.
Kenya’s participation in the WSSD2 reinforces the country’s growing profile as a regional leader on climate justice, social inclusion, and sustainable economic growth.
President Ruto is expected to return to Nairobi later in the week after completing a series of bilateral engagements and attending a special roundtable with African and Gulf state leaders on investment in social infrastructure.
