Listen

Kenya

Kenya is situated on the equator in East Africa. It has an Indian Ocean coastline and the Rift Valley runs through the country. The official languages are Kiswahili and English. Since gaining independence in 1963, Kenya has played a major role in humanitarian, maritime and regional security issues in the Horn of Africa. From 2021, Kenya will serve a two-year term on the UN Security Council. The capital Nairobi is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa and serves as a major regional hub for the United Nations, multilateral organisations and diplomatic missions.

Kenya is the second largest economy in East Africa. Positive economic growth is expected to continue through the medium term, with recent discoveries of oil, gas and minerals. Mombasa Port, located on the south coast, is a gateway to East African trade.

Australia and Kenya have a strong bilateral relationship reinforced by shared Commonwealth values. Our links are growing through collaboration on agriculture and food security, counter-terrorism, mining and education, with two-way merchandise trade between the two countries reaching $115 million in 2018-19. Wheat and minerals are Australia's main exports to Kenya, while coffee and vegetables make up the bulk of imports.

Australia maintains a High Commission in Nairobi and Kenya is represented in Australia by a High Commission in Canberra.