From the Clouds Above Kenya: Pondering Trade, Tribe, and Transformation

As the plane rose from Nairobi, the red earth fell away and, through a break in the clouds, I thought I caught a glimpse of the peak of Kilimanjaro—Africa’s tallest mountain, across the border in neighbouring Tanzania, yet visible from Kenya on a clear day. Majestic and alone, it felt like a metaphor for so much of what I had witnessed during my two-week stay in Kenya: quiet strength and resilience, and untapped promise.

It struck me that this wasn’t just the closing of a trip—it was a vantage point, both literal and symbolic. A moment to take stock of the energy of the markets, the discipline of policy execution, the enduring pull of identity and belonging, and the shared challenges—and opportunities—of continents separated by an ocean but connected in spirit.

Walking the Walk of Caribbean–Africa Integration

I’ve written before about linking the economies of Barbados and Kenya through joint programming and initiatives (see my earlier blog in the references). While I was away in Kenya, Caribbean and African policy and business leaders met in Grenada at the fourth edition of the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF 2025), held in St. George’s under the theme: “Resilience and Transformation: Enhancing Africa–Caribbean Economic Cooperation in an Era of Global Uncertainty.”

And yet, there I was—on the ground in Kenya—living and experiencing the tangible prospects of greater economic integration between our two peoples. My encounters, meetings, collaborations, and conversations weren’t framed as “potential” or “future” linkages; they were happening in real time.

It reminded me how essential it is for the Caribbean to not only talk the talk of Africa–Caribbean engagement, but to walk the walk.

Our history with Africa runs deep—from the forcible movement of our ancestors from the continent to slave plantations, to the contributions of Edward Blyden and George Padmore to Pan-African thought and post-colonial solidarity. But translating those historic and emotional ties into concrete, sustained economic and cultural linkages remains a work in progress.

While I was in Kenya, the Caribbean celebrated Emancipation Day on August 1—marking the end of British slavery (abolition in 1834 and full freedom in many colonies by 1838). In Saint Lucia, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre used his national address to speak about deepening the region’s engagement with Africa—not just politically or commercially, but culturally. He pledged to integrate African history into Saint Lucia’s school curriculum, recognising education as the foundation for understanding, respect, and reconnection. His remarks reflect a broader shift: the promise of stronger economic and cultural links to Africa, grounded not only in trade agreements and investment frameworks, but also in people-to-people connections.

Innovation Lessons from Kenya’s Trade Policy

My official reason for the trip was anchored in the Remaking Trade Project (RTP), which I co-lead and which focuses on reforming the trade system to make it more sustainable. We brought the Project to Kenya as part of our second-phase outreach, convening policymakers, business, civil society, youth and finance.

At our Kenya workshop—“Greening Africa’s Future: Sustainable Trade and Green Industrialisation”—we explored how Africa can lead the greening of the global trade system by leveraging renewable energy for sustainable growth, increasing participation in carbon markets, and developing ethical mineral supply chains.

One of the key planks of that endeavour is the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII)—a bold, heads-of-state policy effort formalised at COP28 (championed by Kenya’s President William Ruto alongside the COP28 Presidency and the UAE). AGII aims to:

promote climate-friendly industrialisation;
build value chains in sectors like green hydrogen, renewable energy, sustainable building materials, and value-added minerals; and
translate the ambitions of the Nairobi Declaration into action by prioritising energy-intensive sectors that leverage Africa’s resource strengths.

It is supported by African institutions and global development partners (including CIFF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, FCDO, ClimateWorks, FSD-Africa, and GIZ).

Where AGII Meets Kenya’s Reality

AGII resonates in Kenya, where renewable energy already provides a very high share of grid electricity (solar, geothermal, wind and hydro), yet access to affordable finance, comparatively high energy costs for industry, and infrastructure gaps remain constraints. A panelist shared a striking comparison of annual outage durations: minutes per year in places like Germany and Japan; hours in the US and China; and significantly higher in Kenya—underscoring the reliability gap manufacturers consider when making location decisions.

Still, AGII’s strength lies in its clarity: it is not an environmental slogan; it is a coordinated approach with political buy-in, policy alignment, and implementation pathways. I couldn’t help letting my own imagination run free: for us in the Caribbean, a parallel might be an Ocean Industrialisation Initiative, rooted in the richness of our blue economy—shipping, fisheries, ocean-based renewables, ocean resources, and sustainable tourism – and supported by CARICOM institutions, the private sector and international donors.

Kenya Setting the Pace (What I Saw and Heard)

Renewable energy in SEZs. SEZs near Naivasha (close to the geothermal heartland) are getting focused attention—from infrastructure to investment facilitation. The creation of a Special Climate Envoy in the Office of the President gives cross-ministerial visibility and speed, insulating key climate priorities from siloed decision-making.
M-PESA—everyday inclusion. A simple, ubiquitous mobile-money platform that’s changed how daily life works. In Nairobi, people pay for taxis, meals—even tips—without cash or bank queues. For women entrepreneurs in particular, this is economic empowerment in action.
Women & youth in trade—framed correctly. The AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade is a AfCFTA/continental instrument (not Kenya-specific), but it matters for Kenyan traders and policy design.
Tourism diversification. Beyond the classic safari, there’s investment in heritage sites, cultural circuits, and eco-tourism—creating a more resilient tourism base. Visiting a locally owned coffee farm in Kiambu district, I learned that women do most of the harvesting—valued for their patience and precision—and that farmers use distinct processing methods that shape the cup.
Innovation in digital. Hello Tractor—an agricultural technology company connecting tractor owners and farmers through an equipment-sharing app—has strong operations in Kenya. So do e-mobility players like Roam, which are pushing electric motorcycles and buses into the market.

Unforgettable Details We Can Learn From

Warmth and welcome. Kenyans are among the most welcoming people I’ve met. The word is “Karibu” (welcome)—“Karibu sana” if you really want to try.
Plastics policy. Since 2017, Kenya has banned plastic carrier bags nationwide, and since 2020 has prohibited single-use plastics in protected areas (parks, beaches). The difference on streets and shorelines is visible.
Transport diversity. Driving in Kenya is not for the faint-hearted—but it’s a kaleidoscope: the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway linking Nairobi to Mombasa; “matatus” with graffiti art; umbrellas popping on motorbikes; Uber sedans, tuk-tuks, boda-boda motorcycles and e-bikes, and quick “chap-chaps.” Mobility is flexible and affordable.
Musical & cultural echoes. In a Nairobi bookshop I heard Sparrow on the speakers—Caribbean music lingering far from home. Kenyan Afro-pop stars like Bien are gaining global recognition; and Jamaican dancehall is everywhere—ubiquitous with young people. When I said I was from Saint Lucia, I sometimes got blank stares; one taxi driver told me, “If you were Jamaican, you’d carry weight.” There’s work—and a joy—in helping the world see the wider Caribbean tapestry.
Tribes: a different kind of belonging. One of the most striking features of Kenyan society is the centrality of ethnic communities—Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya, Meru, Kamba, Somali, Maasai—each with its own history, cultural traditions, and political weight, even with rapid urbanisation. In the Caribbean, we don’t identify by tribes; the slave trade severed those ties. Our closest analogues are villages, districts, islands. The similarities and differences in how we self-identify are instructive.

Looking Back from Above the Clouds

As Kilimanjaro faded into the horizon and the clouds thickened between me and the land below, I carried home more than memories in my suitcase. I carried lessons in vision, execution, and connection—and a renewed conviction that Caribbean–African integration can be more than political rhetoric.

It can be lived.
It can be traded.
And it can be transformative.

JYR Consult.