On a beautiful winter’s day in my hometown of Sydney last month, we hosted over 33,000 runners for our annual Sydney Marathon.
It’s an event where Kenyan athletes shine – Brimin Kipkorir winning the men’s title in 2024, and Stella Barsosio taking the women’s title in 2019.
This year, legendary Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge was one of them.
It was his first time running in Australia and he used this race to encourage people to find their passion and push their limits.
It’s my first visit to Nairobi this week, and I am as excited to be here as I would like to think Kipchoge was when he first arrived in Sydney – and by the equal chance to take our partnership to its limits.
We’ve got a good starting position with 60 years of diplomatic relations, and a dynamic and evolving partnership grounded in democratic principles, multilateral cooperation, and a shared commitment to a better future.
And we are going to deepen engagement across key sectors of our Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation – including in trade and investment; health, education and science; security, environment and climate change.
We can also do more together globally including through the Commonwealth and the United Nations. We are grateful for Kenya’s leadership in humanitarian response, peacekeeping, conflict prevention and climate action and acknowledge the role it plays regionally in promoting peace and supporting people who are displaced by conflict and insecurity.
Economic ties between Australia and Kenya are strong and accelerating. In 2024, two-way trade surpassed AUD$1 billion dollars, reflecting growing opportunities in mining, agribusiness, healthcare, digital technology and education services.
Kenya’s strategic location, dynamic economy and youthful population make it a natural partner for Australian businesses seeking to expand into African markets. For example, last year Australian responsible tourism company, Intrepid, announced plans to expand its operations in East Africa as part of its global ambition to double its global customers, achieving revenues of over AUD$1 billion.
The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) is working closely with Kenyan institutions to promote sustainable agriculture, climate resilience and food systems transformation. ACIAR’s KSH287 million partnership with the Kenya Forestry Research Institute is supporting land restoration efforts, benefiting thousands of smallholder farmers across Kenya.
Australian NGOs are collaborating with local partners in Kenya to foster a prosperous, resilient and stable region. These organisations are supported by Australian volunteers, technical experts and donors, directly responding to priorities identified by Kenyan communities. For example, Australia’s ‘So They Can’ initiative empowers over 45,000 children and community members through education in Kenya and Tanzania.
As we can see from the connections we can create through a love of a good run, our people, and what they can build together, underpin the relationship between us.
Over 20,000 Kenyans now call Australia home, contributing to our economy and enriching our multicultural society. Australia has become Kenya’s fastest-growing and fourth-largest source of remittances, with flows reaching USD112.8 million in the first half of 2025 – a 47.8% increase.
If we look to exchanges through tourism, and education, in 2024, more than 27,000 Australian tourists visited Kenya, and nearly 10,000 Kenyan students are studying in Australia, gaining world-class skills and experiences that benefit their communities and strengthen our shared future.
And Australian universities and research institutions are collaborating with Kenyan counterparts on projects spanning agriculture, energy, health, the blue economy and climate resilience – driving innovation and addressing shared challenges. Australia’s Curtin University is partnering with Strathmore University and the University of Nairobi to strengthen research, innovation and capacity development in mining, clean energy and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean region.
From 60 years of working together we have excellent form and a great place from which to charge forward into the future. Whether it is a 42km marathon, or another 60 years of friendship, we are excited to continue to go the distance with a partnership shaped by our people, our values and our shared vision for a better future.