Dr. Erick Rutto, (center) President of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) during an interview
Posted on June, 5, 2025 at 12:39 am
Kenya is set to benefit from the latest plan by Brazil to invest Ksh5.1 trillion ($40 billion) in health and agriculture.
On Wednesday, June 3, José Gonçalves Oliveira, the senator for Pará in Brazil, arrived in the country on the invitation of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) director and businessman James Wanjohi Njoroge, when the plan was announced.
Senator Oliveira was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by Tana River County Senator Danson Mungatana.
Oliveira will be in the country for investment talks before moving on to Uganda next week as part of a broader mission to deepen inter-country trade and investment relations in East Africa.
Dr. Erick Rutto, (center) President of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) during an interview
Among the top business stakeholders he is expected to meet is KNCCI President Eric Ruto, and they are expected to hold talks about fostering collaboration in sectors critical to Kenya's economic growth.
Speaking on arrival, the Brazilian Senator expressed optimism that the talks would be fruitful, and noted that he was happy with his country's connection with Africa in trade relations.
Wanjohi, who invited the Senator, is a well-known businessman with close ties to both President William Ruto and Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni.
He expressed optimism over the implications of the senator's visit to East Africa, stating, "This is a historic opportunity to unlock massive investment that can transform lives and accelerate development across our region."
The senator's Pará State is not only the biggest in Brazil but also reportedly larger than the size of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
In February 2024, a Brazilian delegation visited the country on a business-to-business mission in Kenya aimed at boosting Kenyan exports to Brazil in an effort to address the prevailing trade imbalance between the two nations.
During the event, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Brazil in Nairobi, Minister Adriana Telles Ribeiro, highlighted Kenya’s potential as an agricultural powerhouse.
At the end of the visit, KNCCI entered into an MoU with the São Paulo Chamber of Commerce (SPCC) aimed at fostering business interactions between Brazilian and foreign enterprises through exports, imports, joint ventures, and investments.
Leadership of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry from across the country during a visit to President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi on Friday, May 9, 2025.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke