The European Business Council Kenya, (EBC) was officially launched with a hybrid event on Thursday, 28 January, 2021, at the Sankara Hotel, Nairobi. Guests of Honour at the Launch included Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development- Honourable Betty Maina, and The European Union Ambassador for Kenya, H.E. Simon Mordue.

The European Business Council Kenya is the umbrella organisation of Business Associations, Chambers of Commerce or Embassies’ Trade Services from the 17 European countries, as represented in Kenya. The council’s aim is to create a broader network and provide a strong united voice on major issues of member companies regarding trade and trade policy in Kenya.

EBC Kenya, through its 17 member’s organisations, represents 600 European companies on site in Kenya with investments of around 2 Billion EUR and directly employing 350.000 Kenyans. For most European companies, Kenya serves as the hub and headquarter for their operations in the entire East African Region.

The Chairman of EBC, Darren Gillen, expressed his excitement of now having successfully established the EBC as the organisation that can speak on behalf of European Companies doing business in Kenya. He added that the EBC shall be their joint voice, source of advice and help to utilize the strong network EBC has already established in the years since the idea of such an umbrella organisation was born in 2017.

Speaking during the launch, The European Union Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Simon Mordue, emphasised that “The EU attaches great importance to business organisations like the EBC. Although the EU is already the largest destination for Kenyan goods, a great and untapped potential still exists. The EU will continue to work with the Government of Kenya and the Kenyan and European Private sector to increase European investment in Kenya and to ensure that Kenya can expand and diversify its exports to the EU and elsewhere. The EBC will be play an important role in this.”

Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina also congratulated the European Business Council at its official launch. She encouraged the EBC to increase its footprint in the Kenyan economy, and personally committed to continue to hand-hold investors and partners to realized growth that is of mutual benefit for Kenya and Europe. 

Other guests at the launch included Former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, Dr. Kevit Desai, PS EAC, as well as the Chairs and CEOs of partner organizations such as KEPSA, KAM, KNCCI and KenInvest.  About 100 representatives from European business community in Kenya joined the event digitally, using the opportunity of a specially organized virtual networking forum.