President William Ruto announced on Monday that Kenya has lifted visa restrictions for holders of Indonesian passports, a decision made following productive bilateral discussions with Indonesian leader Joko Widodo.
Speaking at a press conference held at State House in Nairobi, Ruto emphasized Kenya’s commitment to being open for business. He stated that relaxing and progressively abolishing visa restrictions for entry by Indonesians aligned with this goal.
“In line with Kenya’s open-for-business policy, we have taken the step to extend visa-free entry not only to holders of diplomatic and service passports but also to all Indonesian passport holders,” Ruto stated.
The discussions between Ruto and Widodo covered various aspects of trade, investment, as well as collaborations in higher education, basic education, and vaccine development.
During this visit, Nairobi and Jakarta inked four Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and a Letter of Intent aimed at strengthening cooperation in promoting investment flows between the two nations.
Simultaneously, Kenya committed to negotiating a preferential Trade Agreement with Indonesia, with the assurance that the agreement would adhere to the trade regulations of the East African Community (EAC) and the continental framework.
Ruto elaborated on the ongoing discussions, saying, “We have also discussed the significance of establishing a Bilateral Investment Treaty, which would provide a stable and predictable investment environment, a critical prerequisite for accelerating private sector investment. Our joint teams have been entrusted with finalizing the details of this agreement within the next 90 days.”
President Widodo’s visit followed Kenyan trade minister Moses Kuria’s trip to Indonesia in May. During that visit, discussions took place between Kuria’s delegation and their Indonesian counterparts, exploring potential business partnerships.
Among the outcomes of those discussions was the resolution to export 700,000 head of cattle annually from Kenya to Indonesia, starting from August this year.
Indonesia has now joined Senegal as the latest country to lift visa restrictions for Kenyan travelers. Additionally, Kenya is in the process of launching visa-free agreements with Congo and Comoros, expected to come into effect by the year’s end.
