Indonesia seeks youth innovation partnerships with Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 2 — Indonesia seeks to deepen its partnership with Kenya by expanding cooperation in youth innovation, digital entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies, as both countries look to turn their growing digital economies into opportunities for young people.

The Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi has called for stronger collaboration between young innovators in Asia and Africa, arguing that greater exchange of skills, ideas and practical solutions could accelerate entrepreneurship and inclusive economic development.

Speaking at Pwani Innovation Week 2026 in Mombasa on October 30, Indonesian Minister Counsellor for Information, Social and Cultural Affairs Raden Wisnu Lombardwinanto said Kenya and Indonesia shared an opportunity to use their youthful populations and growing digital connectivity to drive innovation.

He said cooperation between the two countries should extend beyond traditional diplomatic relations to include practical partnerships connecting young entrepreneurs, universities, technology hubs and creative industries.

“The next challenge is therefore not only to increase connectivity, but to transform digital access into opportunity, productivity, inclusion, and shared prosperity,” Lombardwinanto said.

He identified potential areas of collaboration, including the digital and creative economies, renewable energy, food security, and the blue economy, as well as exchanges between universities and innovation hubs.

The event, which attracted more than 2,500 participants from across the East African coastal region, also marked 10 years of the Swahilipot Hub Foundation, which has supported young people in developing their skills, ideas and entrepreneurial initiatives.

Lombardwinanto said innovation should not be measured solely by technological advancement but also by its ability to create opportunities and address practical challenges facing communities.

He cited Indonesia’s experience in expanding digital access, noting that internet penetration in the country stood at 74.6 per cent, compared with 48 per cent in Kenya in early 2025.

The diplomat also highlighted existing education and youth exchange programmes as a foundation for stronger bilateral engagement.

He said Kenya had become the second-largest recipient of the Indonesia Aid Scholarship among 16 participating countries, with 40 Kenyan students benefiting from the programme.

Earlier this year, the Indonesian Embassy also partnered with universities in Kenya and Indonesia to organise a youth-to-youth dialogue that brought together more than 150 participants physically and approximately 200 online.

Lombardwinanto called for renewed South-South cooperation, drawing on the 1955 Asian-African Conference in Bandung, which brought together countries from the two continents around principles of solidarity and cooperation.

He said the proposed revival of the Bandung Spirit should encourage young people from Asia and Africa to build partnerships, develop innovations and contribute to solutions to shared global challenges.

“As fellow countries of the Global South, Indonesia and Kenya can learn from one another, exchange practical solutions, and connect our young people and communities,” he said.

He urged innovation platforms such as Pwani Innovation Week to translate discussions into practical initiatives that empower young people, strengthen cross-border partnerships, and create lasting economic opportunities.

​Bruhan Makong is a Senior News Reporter for Capital FM in Nairobi, covering diplomacy, foreign policy, national security, climate, and human rights across East Africa and the wider region.