Double Feather Partners celebrates 60th Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Kenya

December 12^th 2023 was the date, and Conrad, Tokyo was the venue to mark the Diamond anniversary of the Republic of Kenya. Held in commemoration of 60 years Kenya got her independence from colonial rule, the event also elaborated on the robust cooperation between Kenya and Japan. Duly honored with an invite for the event, Double Feathers Partners was ably represented by our CEO, Kohei Muto as we joined in the historic celebration.

The diplomatic relationship dates back since Independence of Kenya, and the Embassy of Japan was officially launched in 1979. Japan opened her Mission in Nairobi in 1964 and Kenya reciprocated in 1979. Also, in Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya is the country that receives the most Japanese development assistance (ODA). Technical support, grant aid, and concessional (ODA) loans are the primary areas of concentration for this aid. The five sectors of economic infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, and environmental protection are the focus areas of bilateral partnership. No doubt, Japan is an important commercial, trading, and educational partner for Kenya, and so is Kenya to Japan.

Kenya holds a unique place in Japan’s diplomatic ties with the region as the hub and entry point for East and Central Africa (and even across the entire Continent). As a matter of fact, one of the biggest Japanese expat populations in Africa is currently based in Nairobi. The regional offices of Japan’s cooperation agencies, JICA, JETRO, and JBIC, are located in Nairobi. As of December 2018, there were more than 104 Japanese businesses doing business in Kenya, 54 of which had physical locations (Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in Japan).

As frontrunners within the continental space, our Japanese-based international venture capital firm conducts market research in Africa and actively participates in the startup ecosystem to identify core societal challenges in the continent. With specific projects like Acceleration Programs, Accelerator Boost Programs, and our Africa Innovation Fund, we presently offer services to boost startup ecosystems and African markets, of which Kenya is part of the focal point, for its subregion, as well as the continent at large.

We are indeed honored to join in the commemoration of Kenya and Japan’s long-standing diplomatic relationship, and the ongoing cooperation spanning the sociocultural, political, and economic spheres. As we look unto the next phase of 60 years, we look forward to a more robust collaboration, as we continue to channel all necessary valuables in promoting international relations and strengthening the long-lasting relationship between Japan and Kenya.

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