• Senegal and Kenya signed a three-month visa waiver agreement to facilitate travel, trade, and tourism.

• Bilateral trade remains low at $4.5 million in 2024, according to the International Trade Center.

• A joint commission will be established to address barriers to investment and commerce.

Senegal and Kenya signed on Tuesday, October 21, a visa exemption agreement allowing citizens of both countries to travel freely for up to three months. The deal aims to strengthen people-to-people ties while promoting tourism and trade.

We are working with Senegal to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest. To strengthen the relations between our two countries to unlock opportunities, we are exploring the establishment of a Joint Cooperation Commission that will help remove barriers to trade and… pic.twitter.com/o5unbEG93n

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) October 21, 2025

The agreement was concluded during Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s official visit to Nairobi, at the invitation of Kenyan President William Ruto. Both leaders pledged to enhance cooperation across key sectors and to create new economic opportunities.

President Ruto announced plans to establish a joint commission to tackle trade and investment challenges between the two countries. “Kenya is ready to host the first session of this commission in the second half of 2026,” he said.

According to the International Trade Center (ITC), bilateral trade between Senegal and Kenya amounted to only $4.5 million in 2024, highlighting the significant untapped potential between the two economies.

The two governments identified transport and digital infrastructure improvements and stronger private-sector partnerships as key priorities for deepening collaboration.

President Faye’s visit to Nairobi follows his recent trip to Rwanda, where Senegal signed five cooperation agreements. The back-to-back visits reflect Dakar’s diplomatic push to expand alliances across Africa.

Kenya has maintained close ties with Senegal in recent years. In January 2020, Nairobi opened its first embassy in Francophone West Africa in Dakar, marking a milestone in its efforts to establish solid political and socio-economic relations in the region.

Both nations share a commitment to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which they view as frameworks to accelerate regional integration and inclusive growth.

In 2023, the two governments had already agreed to work together to promote African integration and cooperation.

This article was initially published in French by Lydie Mobio

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum