William Ruto: Kenya To Export 100,000 Livestock Yearly To Indonesia Through Private Partnership

• Kenya and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding to improve the balance of trade and foreign relations between the two states
• President William Ruto welcomed his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo at State House Nairobi on Monday, August 21
• Ruto said the deal will scale up trade in five sectors which requires Kenya to export at least 100,000 livestock to the South Asian nation per year

Kenya has inked a bilateral investment treaty with the Indonesian government to scale up and improve the balance of trade between the two countries.

President William Ruto said the treaty will facilitate the export of at least 100,000 livestock to the South Asian country.

Kenya's private sector to export to Indonesia

Speaking during Indonesian President Joko Widodo's state visit at Statehouse on Monday, August 21, Ruto said the opportunity will be open to the private sector.

"Indonesia expect Kenya's livestock sector to export at least 100,000 livestock every year. There is an opportunity for the private sector to facilitate that," said Ruto.

Ruto said the deal provides the opportunity for Indonesia to set up a crude palm oil refinery in Kenya.

The head of state revealed that six additional MOUs have been signed between the two countries in the oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, edible oils, agriculture and apparel production sectors.

Kenya's export to Indonesia

The president noted that the value of imports from Indonesia exceeds exports by over $400 million (KSh 57.8 billion).

"We shared ideas about scaling up on collaboration to an emerging opportunity towards improving the balance of trade between Kenya and Indonesia.

"We are importing close to $500 million (KSh 72.2 billion) of products from Indonesia, and we export just under $100 million (KSh 14.4 billion) of products. That shows we have an uneven trade imbalance, and the scope is not what we would expect," he said.

Ruto to ban import of leather shoes

The growth in the country's export will be facilitated by the government's plans to reduce imports of products that can be produced locally, like animal skins.

In June 2023, Ruto promised to ban the importation of shoes in the coming two years to support local manufacturing.

The president assured Kajiado County residents and cattle farmers that their cowhide will be significant to the local shoemaking.

He said his government set aside KSh 2 billion for the treatment of cowskin to be used in the local manufacturing of shoes.