Nairobi, Kenya – Monday, October 6, 2025: The inaugural COMESA–EU Horticulture Connect Meeting, a landmark engagement bringing together European buyers, regional SMEs, and agribusiness leaders to unlock new trade, investment, and partnership opportunities across Eastern and Southern Africa’s horticulture sector was held in Nairobi, Kenya on Monday 6 October 2025.
Hosted at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), the event — the first of its kind under COMESA — set the tone for the upcoming Summit’s broader theme, “Leveraging Digitalization to Deepen Regional Value Chains for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.”
Delivering the keynote address, Mutahi Kagwe, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, hailed horticulture as one of the most dynamic sectors in regional economies, employing millions and anchoring export revenues.
“Horticulture is not just an agricultural activity — it is a major pillar of our economy,” said Kagwe. “In Kenya alone, the sector earned over KSh137 billion in 2024 and employs more than 200,000 people directly, most of them women and youth. With the right policies, standards, and digital tools, we can make horticulture a billion-dollar industry for the entire COMESA region.”
He highlighted Kenya’s commitment to modernizing the sector through the National Horticulture Traceability System, trade agreements ensuring duty-free-quota-free access to EU and UK markets, and partnerships to digitalize customs procedures and reduce non-tariff barriers.
Echoing these sentiments, Lee Kinyanjui, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, hailed the forum as a “timely platform” for building stronger value chains across the region.
“This event showcases COMESA’s readiness to integrate horticulture into regional and global value chains. It is time for our private sector — especially women- and youth-led enterprises — to seize opportunities in sustainable production, value addition, and trade with Europe,” he said.
COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe commended Kenya for hosting the inaugural forum and emphasized COMESA’s strategic focus on value chain development, SME competitiveness, and sustainable market integration.
“This is not just an event — it is a practical expression of COMESA’s commitment to link enterprises from our region directly with European partners,” said Kapwepwe. “Through EU-funded initiatives like RECAMP, over 500 SMEs — 30% of them women- and youth-led — have enhanced competitiveness and secured export contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. These are the tangible results of partnership.”
She revealed that COMESA’s horticulture exports to the EU already exceed USD 3.3 billion annually, with the Netherlands accounting for 28% of the total — evidence of a rapidly maturing value chain driven by regional collaboration and private-sector resilience.
European Union Team Leader Environment and Climate, Rural Development, Trade Cooperation Ms Lana Zutelija pledged continued support from the European Union.
The event featured B2B sessions, policy dialogues, and exhibitions connecting producers with European buyers, alongside discussions on climate resilience, logistics, and digital tools for supply chain traceability.
The COMESA–EU Horticulture Connect sets the stage for the 18th COMESA Business Forum and Exhibition, opening Tuesday, 7 October, where over 300 regional business leaders will showcase innovation, forge partnerships, and explore strategies to enhance Africa’s position in global trade.