JOHARI TO LEAD DELEGATION ON 3-DAY OFFICIAL MISSION TO KENYA

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Bernama) -- Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani is leading a delegation on an official economic and technical mission to Kenya from May 6-8.

In a statement today, the Plantation and Commodities Ministry said the visit highlights Malaysia's stance in strengthening economic, trade and investment relations with African nations, particularly in the commodities and plantation sectors.

Johari is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting in Kenya’s Investments, Trade and Industry Ministry to broaden trade and investment cooperation, particularly in the palm oil sector, and explore how both countries can contribute to the global palm oil production ecosystem, it added.

Johari will also attend dialogue and roundtable engagements with industry players to identify strategic areas for collaboration, strengthen trade networks and promote Malaysian palm oil.

Official site visits to selected industrial facilities will be conducted to gain insights into Kenya’s production landscape and explore further collaborative opportunities, it said.

Kenya is strategically a bilateral partner and a gateway to regional markets.

It is a member of the East African Community (EAC), an intergovernmental organisation comprising Burundi, Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania with a combined population exceeding 330 million.

“This makes the EAC a key economic bloc in Sub-Saharan Africa, offering vast potential for market expansion,” it said.

The EAC Customs Union, established in 2005, allows products entering any one member country, such as Kenya, to be freely circulated across the region without additional tariffs, providing Malaysia with a cost-effective and efficient platform to enhance its exports, particularly palm oil, to the broader East African market.

Kenya is Malaysia’s largest palm oil importer in Sub-Saharan Africa. It accounted for 42 per cent of Malaysia’s total palm oil exports in 2024, with an 85 per cent market share in the country, it said.

Moreover, Kenya plays a leading role in shaping regional trade policies and is currently the chair of both the EAC Heads of State Summit and the EAC Council of Ministers.

This positions Kenya as a highly influential partner in advancing regional trade integration and offers Malaysia a strategic entry point into broader African markets, said the ministry.

“This economic mission represents a timely and strategic platform to deepen Malaysia–Kenya bilateral cooperation, leverage Kenya’s regional leadership, and expand Malaysia’s footprint in East Africa.

“It reaffirms Malaysia’s commitment to responsible, sustainable, and mutually beneficial trade practices, while identifying new global opportunities for growth in the commodity sector,” it said.

-- BERNAMA