8 June 2018 – Paris, France
The second edition of the BBB Forum convened more than 80 companies from Kenya and France to deepen bilateral trade ties, accelerate investment partnerships, and highlight opportunities aligned with Kenya’s national development agenda.
H.E. Amb. Salma Ahmed opened the forum, commending the diaspora’s leadership in advancing economic diplomacy and encouraging French companies to engage in Kenya’s Big Four Agenda—manufacturing, food security, health, and affordable housing.
High-Level Participation
Executives from Dassault Systèmes, Bolloré Transport & Logistics, ADEPTA, Synerlink, Steriflow, BWT, Opera Africa, WorldRemit, and various SMEs joined thematic sessions including:
- FinTech and Innovation
- Manufacturing & Industry
- Agribusiness and Food Systems
Dassault Systèmes announced its new SolidWorks initiative in Kenya, expected to boost industrial design capacity and youth employment. Speakers highlighted Kenya’s rapid digital transformation, where one-third of GDP flows through mobile money, and emphasized opportunities in SME finance, agri-tech, software development, and mobility.
County Investment Showcases
Delegations from Nandi, Bomet, Marsabit, and Kericho Counties presented bankable investment opportunities in:
- Agro-processing & value addition
- Water and sanitation
- Energy and waste management
- Tourism and infrastructure
Strategic Technical Visits
Ahead of the forum, delegates visited:
- IMA-Erca (Normandy) – leaders in dairy packaging technology
- Rungis International Market – the world’s largest wholesale food market
These visits informed follow-up missions and enriched B2B discussions.
B2B Engagement Highlights
Companies and county officials held targeted sessions on:
- Food processing and preservation (Steriflow)
- Water treatment (BWT)
- Industrial engineering and turnkey plants (Boccard)
- Packaging and dairy technologies (IMA-Erca & Synerlink)
Several French companies expressed readiness to tailor solutions to county-level needs.
