NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 22 – The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has signed a deal with Real Sources Africa in a fresh move aimed at transforming Kenyan diplomatic missions into economic hubs to unlock global markets for local enterprises.Speaking at the signing, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said the initiative is anchored on Kenya’s new foreign policy, adopted in December 2024, which positions economic diplomacy as the central pillar of the country’s external engagement.“Our diplomatic missions will now serve as hubs for the furtherance of economic diplomacy. The government has made progress in expanding productivity across key sectors including coffee, tea, dairy, horticulture, and fisheries, while negotiating market access with partners such as the European Union, China, the UAE and the United States,” Sing’Oei stated.He emphasized that while Kenya enjoys preferential access to over 800 million consumers through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Tripartite Area and the East African Community, the missing link remains access to timely market information.“It is not simply a question of transport connectivity, but an informational gap knowing what we produce, in what quantities and quality, versus what global markets demand. This partnership directly addresses that gap.”Through the collaboration, Real Sources Africa, a Kenyan-born youth-led platform will leverage technology to connect domestic businesses, particularly SMEs, with reliable buyers across Africa and beyond. The initiative builds on the firm’s “Trade Connect Africa” programme, developed with the Ministry of Trade, Cooperatives and MSMEs, which aggregates supply and links it with international demand.Real Sources Africa CEO Felix Chege said the platform, built around commodities, services, investment and finance, will serve as a direct marketplace for Kenyan and African goods.“Our diplomatic missions are one of the tools we require to reach our target markets. This collaboration ensures that Kenyan SMEs now have a structured channel to meet global demand,” he said.The digital-first approach will embed trade facilitation into Kenya’s diplomatic missions, enabling them to respond faster and more transparently to global business inquiries.