Kenya

Kenya

Kenya lies on the East Africa coast, bordered by the Indian Ocean and Somalia to the east, Ethiopia and South Sudan to the north, and Uganda and Tanzania, west and south respectively. While the eastern half of the country slopes to coral-fringed beaches, the western side rises sharply to the hills and plateaus of the Rift Valley. West of the Rift, a plateau drops down to Lake Victoria. 

Secretariat support for Kenya 

Elections support 

In October 2018, Kenya took part in Commonwealth Election Professionals (CEP) Initiative training. Participants learned about running fair and trusted elections. 

Elections work

Legal support 

The Secretariat helped Kenya improve access to justice through its caselaw handbook on violence against women and girls. It sent experts to review Kenya’s laws and advise on reforms to reflect best practice. 

Legislative work

Youth 

The Secretariat's Youth Programme helped Kenya develop strategies to include young people in national planning. 

The Secretariat is helping Kenya develop the skills of youth workers and improve youth work practice through its youth work degree. It also helped Kenya achieve professional recognition of its youth work programmes. 

Youth work

Economic development 

The Secretariat helped Kenya improve skills in recognising goods that are being traded illegally. 

The Secretariat helped Kenya use its debt management systems. 

The Secretariat helped Kenya learn about the sustainable use of its ocean resources. The country made progress in developing this area and took part in new and reformed marine activities.  

Trade work

Blue Charter

Kenya champions the Sustainable Blue Economy Action Group. The Action Group focuses on the exploitation and maintenance of a healthy marine environment, and Kenya hosted its first global sustainable Blue Economy Conference in 2018.

Kenya is also a member of the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance and Mangrove Ecosystems and Livelihoods Action Groups.

Blue Charter

Connectivity Agenda

Kenya is a member of the Physical, Digital and Regulatory Connectivity clusters of the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda. The Connectivity Agenda is a platform for countries to exchange best practices and experiences to trade and investment and undertake domestic reform.

Connectivity Agenda

Kenya in the Commonwealth 

G Vassanji won the Commonwealth Best First Book Prize (Africa Region) in 1990. Margaret A Ogola won in 1995. 

Kenya hosted the Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting in September 2019. 

The next Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) will be held in 2021 in Kenya. 

Find out more 

Learn more about the Secretariat's work

Total population

1963

Kenya joins the Commonwealth

12 December 1963 Kenya becomes the 18th country to join the Commonwealth.

Key Facts

Population
53.77 million (2022)
Area
591,971 square kilometres
Capital city
Nairobi
Joined the Commonwealth
1963, following independence from Britain