President Dr William Samoei Ruto has announced a major breakthrough in Kenya–U.S. development cooperation following high-level talks in Washington, D.C., with the Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Ben Black.
In an official statement, President Ruto confirmed that Kenya welcomes DFC’s decision to significantly expand its engagement with the country across food security, infrastructure, energy, and ICT, noting that the partnership aligns with his administration’s priorities and supports Kenya’s drive toward sustainable economic growth.
President Ruto highlighted the strong potential for collaboration within the energy sector—particularly in geothermal, wind, and solar—stating that these partnerships will reinforce Kenya’s renewable energy base and accelerate the country’s transition to affordable, clean power.
According to the President, DFC has also expressed interest in playing a major role in Kenya’s infrastructure transformation agenda.
Dr Ruto noted key areas of focus including:
The expansion of critical national road networks
Investment in port development
The modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA)
Participation in Kenya’s proposed National Infrastructure Fund, designed to unlock and fast-track strategic national projects
“These interventions will strengthen our logistics capacity, boost competitiveness, and support Kenya’s position as the region’s economic gateway,” the President stated.
President Ruto further revealed that DFC will deploy a permanent representative to Nairobi beginning January 2026, a move expected to speed up investment flows and enhance coordination with the Kenyan government and private sector.
In a major fiscal relief measure, President Ruto confirmed that DFC has agreed to proceed with the $1 billion debt-for-food-security swap, enabling Kenya to replace expensive existing debt with lower-cost, long-term financing.
“This will free up resources to bolster food security programmes and strengthen resilience in our agricultural sector,” he said.
President Ruto underscored that the strengthened partnership with the DFC is mutually beneficial and central to Kenya’s development agenda.
He affirmed that the outcomes of his Washington engagements place Kenya on a new trajectory of investment-driven transformation, with lasting impact on energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and innovation.
