President William Ruto has enlisted Germany's support in efforts to resolve the ongoing conflicts in Somalia, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a statement released on Thursday, November 6, President Ruto disclosed that he held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier in the day, during which the two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations and addressing pressing regional security challenges.
The conversation touched on Germany's financial support for Kenya's energy sector, with Merz pledging a 45 million euros facility to expand the country's energy generation capacity.
"Additionally, we discussed the implementation of the bilateral labour agreement that our two countries signed, giving more Kenyans opportunities to work in Germany," President Ruto stated.
Ruto revealed that the conversation also delved into the deepening trade and investment connections between Africa and Europe, with both leaders expressing optimism about the upcoming European Union-Africa Summit scheduled to take place in Luanda, Angola.
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They agreed that the summit would provide a critical platform for strengthening the relationship between the two continents.
President Ruto emphasized the urgency of ending the devastating conflicts in Somalia, Sudan, and the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, calling on Germany to play a more active role in peacemaking efforts.
"On peace and security in our region, especially in Somalia, Sudan and Eastern DRC, we emphasised the urgency of ending the conflicts and the role Germany can play in this endeavour," Ruto said in his statement.
The conflicts President Ruto referenced have created some of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with millions displaced and hundreds of thousands killed in violence that shows no signs of abating despite numerous diplomatic interventions.
In Sudan, a brutal civil war has raged since April 15, 2023, when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo erupted into full-scale conflict.
The war has been described as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with nearly 25 million people experiencing extreme hunger.
Death toll estimates vary widely, with some suggesting as many as four hundred thousand people have been killed since fighting began, while over eleven million people have been displaced.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the situation is equally dire. Since early January 2025, the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group launched a major offensive that culminated in the capture of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, on January 27. The fighting displaced 400,000 people in North and South Kivu provinces, adding to an already catastrophic humanitarian situation.
