Kenyan President William Ruto concluded a three-day official visit to Italy on Wednesday, during which he met with President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The visit saw the adoption of a bilateral action plan for 2026-2029 and the signing of eight agreements in the fields of technical education, environment, defense, and scientific research, within the framework of the Italian “Mattei Initiative.”
Ruto began his program on Monday by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Piazza Venezia, then moved to the Quirinal Palace where Mattarella received him for a lunch, before holding bilateral talks with Meloni at Palazzo Chigi.
Action Plan within the “Mattei Initiative”
The two leaders announced an action plan for 2026-2029, falling under the “Mattei Plan for Africa” launched by Meloni in January 2024, which she presents as a framework for partnerships with the African continent in areas of development, addressing migration, and energy security. According to a statement from the Italian Prime Minister’s office, the plan will include periodic consultations between the foreign ministries and regular review of implementation through bilateral mechanisms.
Meloni described Kenya as a “pivotal country” in the initiative and Italy’s “gateway” to East African economies, while Ruto affirmed that his country intends to engage in the digital economy, noting six decades of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Signed Agreements
The two countries signed eight agreements on the first day of the visit, most notably an agreement to modernize between 60 and 70 technical and vocational training institutions in Kenya, at a cost of approximately $62.7 million, including student and academic exchange programs.
The talks also covered the Arror, Kimwarer, and Itare dam projects in Kenya, which had been stalled due to legal and financial disputes with Italian contractors and were linked to corruption cases during the tenure of former President Uhuru Kenyatta. Ruto announced that the outstanding issues in the Itare dam project had been resolved after an agreement with the Italian company and the withdrawal of international arbitration cases, noting that these dams are part of a government plan to expand irrigated areas to 2.5 million acres within seven years.
The agreements also included a defense cooperation agreement, with the joint statement indicating it would guide training and capacity-building initiatives based on respect for legal frameworks, including maritime security and counter-terrorism.
On the technological front, Meloni announced new branches of the “Blue Raman” submarine fiber optic cable, which connects India to Europe via the Middle East and the Mediterranean, making Kenya one of its stations on the East African coast. She also announced the transformation of the “Luigi Broglio” space center in Malindi into a continental hub for training in space sciences and Earth observation.
The two countries also agreed to link cooperation with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to support value chains and regional integration. A Kenyan-Italian business forum was held on the sidelines of the visit, focusing on investment in infrastructure, renewable energy, and agro-industries.
On the second day, Ruto met with the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, and delivered a lecture at the “Luiss Guido Carli” University, pledging to transform Kenya into an advanced economy “within a generation,” before meeting with the Kenyan community living in Italy at events organized by the “Midor” Foundation.
Ruto’s visit to Rome, along with the
