Henriette Geiger

The European Union is Kenya's largest single export destination and a strategic bilateral partner. Our decades-long relations have been boosted by the signing of the European Partnership Agreement (EPA) in July 2024. The EPA provides Kenyan goods, including cut flowers, tea, coffee, and horticulture, duty-free free and quota-free access to the EU market. On its part, the European Union exports to Kenya machinery, chemical and mineral products. Since the signing of EPA, our trade has increased by 20 per cent, bringing annual trade to $3.8 billion (KSh494 billion). Our comprehensive relationship also spans digital innovation, climate resilience and regional security. Bid farewell to European Union Ambassador Henriette Geiger at State House Nairobi. During the time the envoy represented the EU in our country, our ties have significantly strengthened.

Partnerships built on trust, shared values and a common vision continue to create new opportunities for Kenya and its people. Bid farewell to H.E. Henriette Geiger, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Kenya, as she concludes her tour of duty on 31st July 2026, and thanked her for her contribution to strengthening the longstanding partnership between Kenya and the European Union. I particularly appreciate our close collaboration in operationalising the Kenya–EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), a landmark 10-year framework that is opening new opportunities for Kenyan exporters, manufacturers, farmers and investors by expanding access to one of the world's largest consumer markets and enhancing our country's global competitiveness. This year also marks the Golden Jubilee of Kenya–EU relations, celebrating fifty years of partnership since the establishment of the EU Delegation in Nairobi in 1976. Over the decades, our cooperation has continued to grow across trade, investment, governance, climate action, education and regional peace and security. As we build on this strong foundation, Kenya remains committed to deepening its partnership with the European Union in ways that create jobs, attract investment, expand export opportunities and deliver lasting economic and social benefits for our citizens.

Pleased to join colleagues and friends this evening in bidding farewell to distinguished Ambassadors of the European Union: Belgium, France, Cyprus, Austria and the EU as well as Türkiye as they conclude their tours of duty. The European Union remains one of Kenya’s closest and most trusted strategic partners, with our relationship continuing to grow through deeper political engagement, expanding trade and investment, and the successful implementation of the Kenya–EU Economic Partnership Agreement. Together, we are advancing a partnership that delivers tangible opportunities and shared prosperity for our peoples. The Excellencies concluding their assignments have served with distinction, helping elevate our bilateral relations through dialogue, trust and genuine friendship. Their commitment to strengthening Kenya–EU cooperation has left an enduring mark on our shared agenda. Asanteni sana, Mabalozi, for your service and partnership. I wish you every success in your next assignments and look forward to the continued flourishing of the ties you have so ably nurtured. @franceinkenya @belgiuminkenya @EUinKenya @TC_NairobiBE @EUAmbKenya

Fifteen years ago, I sat in a doctor's office and heard words that would change the trajectory of my life: prostate cancer. It is a moment that strips you bare. It confronts you with your own fragility, with the terrifying silence of mortality. In that darkness, however, something remarkable happened. Mama Kisumu, Dorothy Nyong'o, and I made a solemn vow not only to survive, but to ensure that no Kenyan, regardless of the weight of their purse or the emptiness of their pockets, would have to walk the cancer journey alone, abandoned and without hope.That vow became the Africa Cancer Foundation. Today, under the weight of memory and the warmth of gratitude, we gathered to mark our 15th Anniversary under a theme that speaks to the very core of our humanity: "Own Your Cancer Story." We were honoured to be joined by Dr. Gladwell Kiarie as Chief Guest, alongside the dedicated Board and staff who have carried this torch through storm and sunshine, friends, relatives, survivors, donors, partners and supporters. I was reminded with tears in my eyes, of why we began this journey. Our mission is not abstract. It is flesh and blood. It is the mother in Kilifi who cannot afford chemotherapy. It is the young man in Kibra who fears the diagnosis more than the disease itself. It is to restore hope, uphold dignity, and provide quality cancer care to every single one of them. Over these fifteen years, standing shoulder to shoulder with our partners who believe in the impossible, we have done what many said could not be done. We have advanced policies that once seemed beyond reach. We have expanded screening and awareness to villages where cancer was once spoken about only in whispers. We have proven, with the stubborn persistence of those who have looked death in the eye, that advocacy transforms systems, while service changes lives. Our commitment burns as fiercely today as it did in that doctor's office fifteen years ago. In Kisumu, we are strengthening the very foundation of cancer care through the soon to be realised Chun Jeong Un Nyong'o Cancer Centre. We fully support the establishment of Kenya's first public bone marrow transplant programme at JOOTRH, a beacon of hope for countless families who have long been told to look elsewhere, or to simply give up. And we are embracing innovations that will bring early detection within reach of every Kenyan, not just the privileged few. Today, we also launched the Africa Cancer Foundation's Mobile Clinic, bringing life-saving cancer screening closer to communities through outreach in markets and other public spaces. As we celebrate this milestone, I do so not with the triumph of conquest, but with the quiet resolve of one who knows the battle is far from over. We renew our solemn commitment to building a future where cancer is detected early, more lives are saved, and where every Kenyan can face this journey with the dignity, hope, and the support they deserve. This is not just my story. It is our story, and I urge every one of you to own it. Own your story!

Climate Change is a risk and crisis multiplier! Amb. Groth together with @IGAD_CPAC, @OSE_HoA and @UNEP welcomed CS @DeboraBarasa and PS @ray_omollo for a joint Luncheon on "Climate, Peace and Security".

Women in trade diplomacy! Launch of Kenya-EU EPA implementation strategy.

Museums are more than repositories of history, they are windows into the journey of civilizations, preserving the values, innovations and cultural heritage that shape nations and inspire future generations. During my visit to the National Museum of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, I gained a deeper appreciation of the Kingdom's rich history, remarkable transformation and the cultural legacy that has helped shape one of the Middle East's leading economies. Our shared appreciation of history and culture provides a strong foundation for strengthening people-to-people ties and expanding cooperation in tourism, education, cultural exchange and the creative economy. As Kenya continues to deepen its partnership with Saudi Arabia, these connections complement our broader cooperation in trade, investment and innovation, fostering greater mutual understanding while creating new opportunities for the benefit of our people.

Defending these principles is not only a legal obligation but also a strategic necessity. Big thanks go to #EUDelegations for standing on the front line of diplomacy in this new world.

A forceful reminder by @hadjalahbib to the #EUAmbassadorsConference of today’s power shifts & why the principles of international humanitarian law remain the very principles on which our EU is grounded. A strong call to protect civilians when power risks replacing principles.

Kenya’s support for the Resolution on Lasting Peace in Ukraine at UNGA last night. ⁦@ForeignOfficeKE⁩ ⁦@KenyaMissionUN⁩

Let the truth be told, let the press be free. Journalists give voice to the voiceless and hold power to account. This #WorldPressFreedomDay, we reaffirm our commitment to protect those who protect the truth.

Happy 150th birthday, Maurice Ravel! 🎂🎂🎂

Next week, EU Ambassadors from all around the world will gather in Brussels to discuss EU foreign affairs and security policy. The HR/VP @kajakallas will kick off the week with an opening speech. For an EU foreign policy that delivers!

We are pleased to extend a warm welcome to the Secretary General of the EEAS, Belén Martínez Carbonell (@EEAS_SecGen) together with HR/VP @kajakallas and her team, will advocate for the construction of a stronger Europe. We wish you the utmost success in this important endeavor.

Here's our statement on the results of the 2024 presidential election: