Russia offers 70 additional scholarships to Kenyan students

NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 30 – Russia has announced 70 additional scholarships for Kenyan students seeking higher education in the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made the announcement during bilateral talks with President William Ruto at the Kremlin in Moscow.

Putin said the increased scholarship allocation would benefit Kenyan students and scholars in the coming year.

Since Kenya’s independence, more than 4,000 Kenyans have graduated from Russian and Soviet-era universities, with a strong historical preference for fields like medicine, pharmacy, engineering, IT, and architecture.

The two leaders also discussed strengthening trade, investment and broader economic cooperation between Kenya and Russia following the Third Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum.

Turning to international cooperation, President Putin underscored the shared positions between Kenya and Russia on strengthening the central role of the United Nations, promoting a multipolar world order and reforming multilateral institutions to ensure greater inclusivity and representation of developing countries.

He further expressed Russia’s support for strengthening the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, highlighting its significance as a major United Nations presence in the Global South.

The visit culminated in the signing of five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), aimed at enhancing bilateral partnership between the two countries across key sectors, including economic cooperation, employment, transport, and diplomacy.

One of the agreements provides for the establishment of the Intergovernmental Russia-Kenya Commission on Economic Cooperation, creating an institutional framework to strengthen bilateral economic ties.

Another MoU provides for cooperation in labour inspection and employment promotion between Russia’s Federal Service for Labour and Employment and Kenya’s Ministry of Labour.

Once the necessary implementation mechanisms are in place, the agreement is expected to open up more employment opportunities for Kenyans in Russia.

The other agreements cover cooperation between the two countries’ Transport ministries to advance Kenya’s transport sector; visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports; and collaboration in diplomatic training.

President Ruto said the agreements that would unlock new opportunities for trade and investment.

“We believe the economic activities presented to Kenya give us a win-win opportunity for both Kenya and Russia,” he said.

The agreements establish a strong foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation, translating the longstanding relationship between the two countries into tangible economic and development gains.