On the sidelines of the African Heads of State Summit, Kenya announced the launch of BiasharaLink and Deal House, two interconnected digital trade platforms designed to transform African embassies into transaction-enabling hubs for trade and investment. Unveiled at a high-level reception in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the initiative marks a new phase of digitally driven economic diplomacy aimed at accelerating implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The launch, attended by senior government officials, African Union representatives, ambassadors, multilateral development institutions, and private sector leaders, took place against the backdrop of the 39th AU Summit, where heads of state are prioritising practical, execution-focused solutions to unlock AfCFTA’s full potential. Developed by Real Sources Africa—Kenya’s AfCFTA Trading Company—the platforms are designed to close Africa’s trade execution gap by leveraging technology to convert trade enquiries into bankable deals. The system seeks to harness the commercial potential of more than 1,000 diplomatic missions across the continent, repositioning embassies as proactive facilitators of viable cross-border transactions.
BiasharaLink enables diplomatic missions, exporters, investors, and market actors to formally capture, structure and track trade and investment opportunities aligned with AfCFTA priorities. Deal House serves as the execution layer, validating opportunities, matching counterparties, linking financing, and advancing transactions toward contract completion. Speaking at the launch, Musalia Mudavadi described the platforms as a results-oriented model of economic diplomacy that connects opportunity to execution. Wamkele Mene emphasized the urgency of building strong domestic markets amid global supply chain disruptions, while private sector leaders, including Felix Chege and James Mwangi, highlighted the importance of coordinated public-private partnerships in driving trade infrastructure.
The initiative underscores Kenya’s commitment to advancing a digital, execution-focused model of economic diplomacy that translates policy ambition into tangible commercial outcomes. It also reflects the leadership of President William Samoei Ruto in his role as Chair of the AU Assembly Committee of Heads of State and Government on AfCFTA implementation and Co-Champion of the Digital Trade Protocol. As African leaders intensify efforts toward deeper regional integration, the launch of BiasharaLink and Deal House positions Kenya at the forefront of innovative solutions aimed at strengthening intra-African trade, empowering SMEs and women-led businesses, and accelerating the continent’s economic transformation.