Kenya and Britain on Wednesday renewed their commitment to pursuing relations based on trade and investment.
In a meeting between Deputy President William Ruto and British High Commissioner Nic Hailey, the two leaders noted areas that could be of mutual benefit include Energy, Infrastructure, Agriculture and Water.
"We would like to have a win-win situation best fashioned on trade and investment as opposed to aid," Ruto said.
The DP noted that British companies had invested in Kenya’s tourism industry, in banking, tea, coffee and horticulture, adding that in 2014, exports from Kenya amounted to Sh35.9 billion while imports amounted to Sh47.03 billion.
He said this investment should be leveraged further by value addition especially in the agricultural produce and encouraged British firms to invest in agro-processing, geothermal energy and the oil industry.
"We believe strongly that investment in the energy sector and in infrastructure will be the engine of growth of our economy."
During the meeting at Ruto's house in Karen, the two leaders agreed UK could play a leading role in the modernization of the port of Mombasa, with Hailey acknowledging that the top 10-taxpayer companies in Kenya are British.
"We also feel that continued increase of investment in the energy sector, particularly in geothermal and in oil will create job opportunities for Kenyans," he said.
"We are the number one source of tourists to Kenya and we would like to maintain that position," Hailey added.
The UK lifted its previous restrictions against all but essential travel to within 15 kilometres of the coast in Malindi from Galana (Athi-Galana-Sabaki) river down to Watamu.
Hailey said UK will continue to partner with Kenya in the fight against terrorism and conveyed condolences following a recent to an Amisom military camp in Somalia, leading to the death of several KDF soldiers.