Estdev

Bilateral relations between Estonia and Kenya have increased since 2017, when Estonia held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Kenya’s Vision for the Future 2030 sets out Kenya’s long-term development goals. The central goal is to make Kenya an industrial and middle-income country by 2030, ensuring a high quality of life and a clean and safe living environment for all its citizens.

ESTDEV aims to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals in Kenya and, in particular, to support measures that bring about systematic and sustainable change and contribute to poverty reduction. In Kenya, ESTDEV operates in areas where Estonia has specific added value to offer, including innovation and expertise in digital issues and e-governance. That is why we focus on supporting education, digital development, and entrepreneurship in Kenya and working with the other EU Member States and local public sector organizations to ensure the sustainability of the changes that have taken place.

Between 2013 and 2021, Estonia has sponsored Kenya using a development cooperation fund of nearly 2 million euros. During this period, 26 projects have been implemented in Kenya to support refugee welfare, humanitarian missions, education, digital development, and resource and environmental sustainability.

There are currently 13 ongoing projects in Kenya that support, among other things, the deployment of e-learning solutions, digital literacy, sustainable forestry, agricultural practices, and the establishment of national registers.

Global Sustainable Development Goals in Kenya

Priority areas of Estonian development cooperation in Kenya

• Digital transformation – assessment of national digital maturity and preparation of the corresponding roadmap, including development of existing and new e-government tools and e-services.
• Entrepreneurship – developing a start-up ecosystem and increasing 21st-century skills among young people; increasing the competitiveness of young people and women in the labor market; introducing digital opportunities through evolving skill sets.
• Education – providing e-learning solutions; making e-learning materials more accessible; developing digital competences.

Important documents

• Estonian Foreign Policy Development Plan 2030
• Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Program 2022-2025 (in Estonian)
• Estonian Regional Strategy for Africa 2020-2030 (in Estonian)
• Estonia’s Cooperation with African Countries

Ongoing projects in Kenya