According to a new economic report by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Kenya’s exports to other African countries Increased by 21.4 percent in 2023.

This is amid sustained efforts to build ties with nations on the continent to benefit from the Continental Free Trade Area.

The report also indicates that the exports increased to 396.3 billion shillings in 2023 from 2.24 billion dollars in 2022.

Most of Kenya’s exports were sold in Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, with Egypt, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo emerging as new markets.

Kenya mainly exports oil and lubricants, tea, coffee, oil, animals, vegetable fats, clinker, wheat flour, and manufactured goods.

According to the bank, Kenya exported goods worth 804 million dollars to Uganda, 424 million dollars to Tanzania, and 309 million to Rwanda.

The rise in exports to African countries follows Kenyan President William Ruto’s efforts to strengthen bilateral ties with countries like Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Egypt.

Ruto has also championed the elimination of trade barriers among African countries to ease the integration of regional trading blocs.