Brooklyn Center’s Shingle Creek Center is under new ownership. The strip mall, across the street from the Hennepin County Regional Center, now belongs to African Career Education & Resources Inc. (ACER) and the Ignite Business Women Investment Group.

The two entities closed on the $5.2 million purchase of the property on Oct. 13, buying it from BPC Shingle Creek Holdings, a Delaware registered LLC based in Encino, California. 

ACER is a Brooklyn Park based nonprofit that works on connecting people of color, especially Black immigrants and refugees, to resources such as affordable housing, employment opportunities and education.

IBWIG came into existence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic when 32 African immigrant women business owners who were facing rent increases, evictions and poor landlord practices came together and formed a Real Estate Investment Cooperative.

According to U.S. Census data, as of July 2022, people who identify themselves as Black or African American make up 31.5% in Brooklyn Center, and 29.8% in neighboring Brooklyn Park, making them the single largest minority group. African immigrants call the two cities “Little Africa.”

“We came together because we believe that, by bridging our businesses, we can create wealth, change lives, and build a larger market audience,” said Jannie Seibure, manager of Cavalla Travel, a member of IBWIG. “This purchase proves that we can do anything, if we stick to it long enough.”

ACER and IBWIG closed on the property in October and have taken possession of the entire strip mall with the exception of where the former Brooklyn Center Target store stands. The empty Target store is under the ownership of the city.

With the newly acquired property, ACER and IBWIG plan to transform the strip mall into a destination hub of small and commercial spaces for the region’s microbusinesses. Businesses and tenants currently housed within the Shingle Creek Center will not be affected.

There are 16 commercial units in the strip mall and only four vacancies and on track to have all of the nearly 40,000 square feet leasable space taken up.

Ms. Denise Butler, associate director of ACER, told Mshale her organization’s offices will move its headquarters from neighboring Brooklyn Park and occupy one of the four vacant spaces at the mall in the spring of 2024. IBWIG will also have a home at the mall.

ACER, which as part of its mission is the provision of technical assistance to BIPOC-owned small and microbusinesses, plans to establish a small business incubation center at the mall once it moves in.

“We know that it’s not enough for our businesses to have access to commercial spaces — we need to have control of those spaces ourselves so we can be the architects of our own economic futures,” Butler said.

When standout Kenyan journalist Alex Chamwada left a secure job at a prominent Kenyan broadcaster to launch Chams Media, a content creation and communication consulting firm, 10 years ago, he wanted to “tell positive stories that were often overlooked.”

He  has done exactly that and those stories are everywhere: online in places like YouTube and social media especially Facebook, on free-to-air Kenyan TV, and its flagship program Daring Abroad is among the most widely shared on diaspora WhatsApp groups.

In the decade since its launching, Chams Media has featured stories of over 1,000 individuals and companies in its flagship program Daring Abroad, with production of the series involving Mr. Chamwada and his crew traveling overseas to gather content. The series highlights successful Kenyans abroad in the areas of business, economic and social endeavors.

Daring Abroad airs on NTV Kenya, the second most viewed tv station in Kenya according to data provided by GeoPoll, the Washington, DC-based data research firm that operates in Africa, Asia and Latin America. According GeoPoll, NTV had a viewership of 10.6 million people in the month of September 2023, the most recent surveyed month.

Those in the diaspora normally catch the show on YouTube and are among the over 120,000 subscribers on the Chams Media TV channel that has a cumulative viewership of over 6 million views across its different programs. In addition to the popular Daring Abroad series, other programs closer to home include The Chamwada Report which delves into development issues in the country.

″It was difficult to convince media that the positive can sell,” Chamwada tells Mshale during a WhatsApp interview. “It was difficult to overcome the narrative that numbers are built on sensation. But we have demonstrated that you can step out of the norm and excel.”

Interacting with Chamwada on a personal level, most recently in August when he was in Minneapolis for a live taping of Daring Abroad, one gets the sense he didn’t start the business exclusively just for the money, a thought that was posed to him during the WhatsApp interview.

“This is a journey of faith, a journey of resilience anchored on passion and humility and powered by the grace of the Almighty God,” Chamwada says. “When I stepped out of the newsroom to go independent, I had no savings, I had no office. I had zero equipment except my cellphone, laptop, the idea and networks.”

Chamwada says with a smile he finds it ironic that Chams Media’s main business with Kenyan mainstream media is with content they had ignored.

From the humble beginnings of just him as the staff, he has since grown Chams Media to a company of over 20 employees spanning the editorial and production crew and a strong the back office operations team.

He points out the case of the large Kenyan diaspora that media in Kenya had mostly ignored except for when there was tragedy. There were no human-interest stories that showed Kenyans abroad in their full scope.

Central Bank of Kenya figures show remittances from Kenyans in the diaspora were the leading foreign exchange earner last year totaling $4.027 billion in 2022.

“One of our most exciting episodes of Daring Abroad show featured Bramwell Bushuru, the only Kenyan living on the little known St. Helena Island in the South Atlantic Ocean,” Chamwada says. “The Island is a British protectorate with a population of only 4,000. Bramwell is an air traffic controller at the Island.”

The production of the St. Helena episode, which as of the time of this writing has over 135,000 views, involved Chamwada and his cameraman Eric Maweu timing their visit to coincide with the once a week flight that gets one to the tiny island via Johannesburg using South Africa-based FlyAirlink.

As Chamwada and his team have crisscrossed the globe showcasing Kenyans in all of their glory, he has transformed Chams Media into a trusted medium for connecting Kenya with its sprawling and all-important diaspora trusted by both government and business and most importantly, the audience.

Blue chip companies in Kenya such as Co-Operative Bank and Kenya Airways that are  trying to expand their businesses to the diaspora have made Chams Media their partner of choice for reaching the lucrative market.

Additionally, conversations he has had with Kenyans in the diaspora have sparked new unrelated ventures for the 10-year-old firm, as those abroad express hunger for trusted business partners and service providers.

“I realized as I met with Kenyans whether in the U.S. or Europe or anywhere else, that they were looking for businesses they could trust,” Chamwada says. “They kept asking me where can we invest? can you recommend a trusted developer? and that is when ideas for Chams Adventures, Chams Real Estate and Chams Insurance Agency came up.”

“The future looks bright. There are many opportunities in the digital space. We will continue to diversify our content. We have also diversified into organizing and hosting investment forums abroad under the Daring Abroad brand. We will continue to nurture talents,” said Chamwada.

A formal celebration of company’s 10-year anniversary will be livestreamed on its social media pages from Nairobi’s Jacaranda Hotel on Friday, Dec. 1 starting at 5PM local Kenyan time (2:00 PM GMT or 9:00 A.M. CST). Links are below.

Chams Media Facebook
Chams Media YouTube
Chams Meda LinkedIn

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Rwanda’s ambassador to the United States was in Minnesota yesterday to promote her country as an ideal investment destination.

Brought to Minnesota to talk with the business and civic community through the efforts of Minnesota Africans United (MAU), a coalition of African immigrant communities in the state, the ambassador had the opportunity to talk trade and investment on many different levels.

According to the U.S. Trade Office, trading of goods between the U.S and Rwanda totaled $122 million in 2022 with the U.S. enjoying a trade surplus of $8 million. U.S. exports to the East African nation last year came to $65 million compared to Rwanda’s exports to the U.S. that totaled $57 million. No services trade data between the two countries is currently available, according to the U.S. Trade Office. The trade surplus in favor of the U.S. is a recent change as Rwanda has enjoyed a surplus for the preceding years.

“Rwanda is linked to the East African community and other countries in Africa,” said Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana. “When you come to do business (in Rwanda) you will not just be doing business with us but the entire African continent.”

What Mukantabana would like to see is partnerships between her country and Minnesota business in areas of light manufacturing and investments that allow Rwanda to build capacity as well as manufacturing that foster value additions in sectors such as coffee which remains the country’s biggest export.

“One of the areas we are looking for partnerships and where we think Minnesota can play a role is the building of an African (Health) Center so that our people in the region do not need to go to India or other countries to get treatment,” said Mukantabana.

German pharmaceutical giant BioNTech setup a vaccine facility in Rwanda’s capital Kigali in March capable of producing up to 100 million mRNA vaccines per year once it is scaled up. The ambassador said her country’s goal is to ensure the pharmaceutical industry and the health sector in general is expanded.

The ambassador also said that lately her country has invested heavily in infrastructure that positions it as a destination for conventions and sports tourism, stressing that many international notables are already taking advantage of the opportunities presented.

“Trevor Noah was talking the other day of maybe Rwanda hosting the next Grammys since we have built the venues that can host such an event,” Mukantabana said. “We have had a number of international festivals already in Rwanda so if you are in the creative industry we welcome you, as this is something that attracts tourism and also our young people are restless and this is something they want.”

Mukantabana suggested that investors and companies in Minnesota get in touch with the embassy for any guidance they might need in setting up business in her country, or how to get started in their investment journey.

During a panel discussion following the ambassador’s presentation, Twin Cities entrepreneur and 2023 National Small Business Person of the Year, Mr. Abdirahman Kahin, pointed out the ease of doing business in Rwanda.

“You can set up your business there in six hours, all online, I am already an investor there and what helps them is there is no corruption, I just love it,” said Kahin.

Ethiopian Airlines was on Sunday named “Africa’s Leading Airline” at the 2023 World Travel Awards held in Dubai for Africa and Indian ocean regions.

Africa’s largest airline lost the title to Kenya Airways in 2021 which went on to win it for two consecutive years. Before that, the Ethiopian airline had held the coveted title for three consecutive years beginning in 2018 having wrested it from Kenya Airways.

Ethiopian Airlines was also awarded as Africa’s “Best Business Class” and “Leading Airline Brand” for 2023. It flies to more than 150 domestic and international destinations in five continents.

Kenya Airways took home the 2023 “Africa’s Leading Airline – Economy Class,” while its wholly-owned subsidiary Jambojet took home the crown of “Africa’s Leading Low-Cost Airline.”

The World Travel Awards (WTA) were established in 1993 to celebrate what it calls “excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.”

Since the founding of WTA, South African Airways held the “Africa’s Leading Airline” title for 22 consecutive years starting in 1994 when Kenya Airways dislodged it 2016.

With Sunday’s win by Ethiopian Airlines, the two airlines have now each won it four times.

Since that 2016 ouster, only Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways have held the World Travel Awards title for the best airline in Africa.

At the time of this writing Ethiopian Airlines had not yet responded to a request for a statement on their latest win.

Cape Town International Airport in South Africa was named “Africa’s Leading Airport” for 2023.

According to the WTA, qualified executives that work in the travel and tourism industry along with travel buyers participate in year-long worldwide online voting process to determine the winners of the various categories.

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) said in the second quarter of this year that air travel in Africa has continued to make a “robust recovery” post-pandemic and that as of the second quarter, air travel on the continent had reached 94.8% of 2019 levels.

According to a report released in early 2023 looking at the effects of the pandemic on airline travel on the continent, AFRAA said African airlines lost $3.5 billion in revenue in 2022 and $8.6 billion in 2021.

Other notable wins at the World Travel Awards 2023

Below is a non-exhaustive list of  award winners that caught our attention:

Africa’s Most Romantic Resort – Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, Mozambique
Africa’s Leading Business Travel Destination – Nairobi, Kenya
Africa’s Leading Business Hotel – Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Nigeria
Africa’s Leading Airport Hotel – Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport, Kenya
Africa’s Leading Luxury Hotel – The Silo Hotel, South Africa
Africa’s Leading Luxury Resort – One&Only Cape Town, South Africa
Africa’s Leading Green Hotel – Cheetah Plains, South Africa
Africa’s Leading Private Island Resort – Manda Bay, Kenya
Africa’s Leading Luxury Island – Thanda Island, Tanzania
Africa’s Leading National Park – Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Africa’s Leading Conference Hotel – Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre, Rwanda
Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction – Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Africa’s Leading Beach Destination – Diani Beach, Kenya
Africa’s Leading Beach Resort – Swahili Beach, Kenya
Africa’s Leading Family Resort – Baobab Beach Resort & Spa, Kenya
Africa’s Leading City Destination – Cape Town, South Africa
Africa’s Leading Cruise Port – Port of Cape Town, South Africa
Africa’s Leading Casino Resort – Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, Morocco
Africa’s Leading Destination – Kenya

The city of Brooklyn Park is currently accepting applications for round two of its share of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) community funding.

Applications are being accepted through Friday, October 13.

Brooklyn Park received $11 million American Rescue Funds of which the city council last year approved spending of $4.6 million in round one, which included the awarding of funds to 36 community nonprofit and businesses that proposed a variety of programs to serve city residents.

In a Request for Proposals (RFP) posted on the city’s website, the RFP states round two “will provide funds to eligible community partners; both businesses and non-profits that are delivering services in identified areas of need particularly to underserved and cultural groups.”

In this round, the city said it has $300,000 available for awards and anticipates awarding six organizations approximately $50,000 each. Activities to be funded must take place in the cities of Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center.

The City of Brooklyn Center has allocated $95,000 of its ARPA funding for joint workforce development initiatives and Brooklyn Park will award between $25,000 – $50,000 to selected applicants on behalf of Brooklyn Center.

Organizations and businesses applying “must show a demonstrated history of programs and activities serving Brooklyn Park or Brooklyn Center residents,” according to the RFP.

Visit the City of Brooklyn Park website for details on the RFP and how to apply.

NCBA, Kenya’s third-largest bank by assets and customer deposits, last weekend in Boston began its marketing road show for banking services tailored for the diaspora, underscoring the latter’s significance as an important and profitable customer base for Kenyan banks.

The bank, one of only 12 that are listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, announced its next stop is Minnesota starting September 14 through September 19.

Central Bank of Kenya figures show remittances from Kenyans in the diaspora were the leading foreign exchange earner last year totaling $4.027 billion in 2022, with close to 54% of that coming from North America, mostly the United States. Tea, the country’s leading export, brought in $1.2 billion in 2022.

The 2022 “Bank Supervision Annual Report” by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) listed NCBA as third in market share in terms of customer deposits and third in total assets. There were 39 banks operating in Kenya by the end of 2022, according to CBK.

Ms. Mercy Kagwiria, a deputy director at NCBA and head of its consumer banking division, told Mshale on Wednesday after arriving in Minneapolis that one key advantage her bank provides to the diaspora is that of a dedicated relationship manager.

“Each diaspora customer benefits from having a dedicated relationship manager that can walk with them in their financial journey, recognizing their unique needs,” said Kagwiria.

As for the notorious ledger fees (equivalent of monthly or maintenance fees at some U.S. banks) that Kenyan banks charge, Ms. Kagwiria said diaspora customers can “enjoy our zero monthly ledger fees on their banking accounts.”

Ms. Kagwiria, a 17-year industry veteran, said conversations with the bank’s diaspora customers has revealed what she called a “key pain point” for many of who would like to invest in real estate back in Kenya.

“Listening to the Kenyans in diaspora, getting a reliable and trustworthy person back home to effectively run with a construction project on their behalf has been a key pain point,” Kagwiria said.

She said her bank has come up with a turnkey solution to address the needs of diaspora Kenyans that want to invest in the real estate market.

“Our easy build proposition makes property ownership back home hustle free. As an NCBA diaspora customer you can rely on us to run with your construction projects back home,” she said. “We do this through a consortium of prequalified technical professionals like engineers, quantity surveyors, architects and contractors that seamlessly facilitate completion of the projects in a cost-effective manner.”

Ms. Kagwiria described her team’s reception in Boston by Kenyans there as “exciting and warm” where she said they had a chance to meet with Kenyans at dinner events and church meetings. She said she looks forward to similar interactions with Kenyans in Minnesota.

After Minnesota, the team will be in Seattle on September 21-26 and in Dallas on September 28 through October 3.

NCBA Meetings with Kenyans in Minnesota

The flyer below shared by the NCBA team shows dates and venues where they will be meeting with Kenyans to open accounts or answer questions for existing customers.

What to bring: If interested in opening an account you will need your Kenyan ID and KRA PIN. KRA is Kenya Revenue Authority. If you don’t have a KRA PIN, you can obtain one instantly at this KRA link.

The unmistakable mouthwatering aroma of east African food filled the air around Nicollet Avenue and 13th Street. It was the aroma of food from the tent of TAMU Grill and Catering, a restaurant in Minneapolis that specializes in African food, mostly from Kenyan.

At the tent, George “Jojo” Ndege, TAMU’s owner, and his team were busy trying to keep up with the demand from dozens of hungry festival goers. Ndege dished out plates of the Kenyan food, including the beef samosas that have earned him fame in the Twin Cities’ African community. Also served were his popular fries and Kenyan sausages that could be ordered as a combo.

Ndege took a brief break from serving food so that he could restock some of his sold-out dishes (which eventually included beef samosas) to keep up with the growing number of people lining up for food. Upon his return, he took a moment to express the joy he got from sharing a piece of his culture through food.

“You see these lines?” Ndege asked. “I am happy to be here giving Minnesotans a taste of Africa.”

Ndege was one of a handful of entrepreneurs of African descent who were invited to “Taste of Minnesota,” a festival held the weekend before the July 4 holiday to give residents a chance to engage with a variety of products, arts, and cuisines from the state’s diverse communities. For African entrepreneurs like Ndege, such events present opportunities to promote their businesses beyond their modest communities without having to spend thousands of dollars in advertising.

“It helps create awareness about our food, the restaurant, and catering business to new audiences,” Ndege said.

A study published in 2022 in the journal American Economic Review found that immigrants were 80% more likely than U.S.-born citizens to start a new business. The research, which examined data from Fortune 500 companies and the U.S. Census Bureau data, also showed that companies founded by immigrants created 1% more jobs. But they aren’t just small businesses, according to New American Economy, a bipartisan research organization that advocates for local, state, and federal government policies that are friendly to immigration. In 2018, a study from the organization found that 45% of Fortune 500 companies were either founded by immigrants or their children.

While this is encouraging, Black entrepreneurs also encounter more barriers to founding and building successful businesses than their white counterparts. Funding is often the most common of those challenges, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which found that in 2021 only about 1.2% of venture capital went to Black entrepreneurs. These challenges became even more apparent during the coronavirus pandemic, when, according to the Brookings Institution, 92% of Black businesses reported experiencing financial hardships.  In comparison, 89%, 85%, and 79% of Asian American, Hispanic American, and white American business, respectively reported having hardships. Black entrepreneurs must come up with creative ways to circumvent these obstacles.

“[We have had to] adjust to post-COVID customer eating habits such as more third-party deliveries and less dining in,” Ndege said.

Getting U.S.-born customers to go to Tamu and sit down to eat is even more challenging because Kenyan food isn’t as well known in the United States as, say, Ethiopian food. Having a tent at a festival, on the other hand, gives potential customers the opportunity to sample new food in small quantities before hopefully going into the restaurant or using his catering services.

Crowds of people at Taste of Minnesota endured the sweltering heat as they waited in line to taste food from different vendors. Alyssa Huber, who took the day off from her hospital job, sat on the lawn adjacent to the stage to enjoy musical performances that included a highly anticipated set from Big Boi of the group OutKast.

“I’m excited to try all the food,” Huber said. “I think this is a great way to kick off the fourth of July weekend.”

But it wasn’t all about food. For Mo Stewart, it was a chance to bring a taste of fashion to the festival. Tucked away in a street designated as Artist Alley, Stewart sat at her sewing machine, creating one of the handbags she sells under her brand, Mars Jameson, which has a store at the Mall of America. Stewart said she learned how to sew at a young age by making clothes for her Barbie dolls. When she got older, she received her first sewing machine and started making clothes, but quickly realized she did not enjoy it. She started making handbags in 2016 and founded Mars Jameson to market them.

“It’s so cool to be here as a Black-owned business, just doing what I love,” Stewart said.

Another vendor, Racquel Bundi welcomed customers to the tent of her company Dipp’d In Hunnie, which sells body butters and oils. She said she was inspired when she became frustrated by the lack of results when treating her daughter’s eczema with prescribed medication. She had been going to the doctor for years for help with her child’s condition but found the medications to be mostly harsh and ineffective. When she decided to make her own products, she said she saw an improvement in her daughter’s skin. She believes that her handmade products are gentler on the skin, especially for babies and children with skin conditions like her daughter.

“I hope others can benefit from my product,” Bundi said.

Despite the challenges, Ndege said he couldn’t have it any other way. Like many African immigrants, he came to the United States aiming to get a university education and live the American dream through a white-collar job. He achieved that goal but after several years of working in a corporate job, he found it unsatisfying.

“I have never been a white-collar person,” he said.

In 2021, Ndege opened a restaurant named Kilimanjaro Grill and Catering, which he said he was inspired to start when he noticed a lack of authentic Kenyan cuisine in Minnesota, even though the state is home to nearly 20,000 immigrants from the East African country. Last year, Ndege changed its name to Tamu, a Kiswahili word that means “delicious.”

“The restaurant business is probably the most challenging to start and grow,” Ndege said. “It’s labor and capital intensive. For those interested in it, they must be willing to give up their social lives. There is no way around it.”

Despite the challenges, Ndege says he’s determined to make his restaurant and catering business a success by taking the food to where people are, instead of waiting for them to find his restaurant.

“It is critical that immigrants and minorities own their businesses to create generational wealth,” he said.

Ndege has spent the summer taking his food to festivals across the state, sometimes leaving for several days. And in this month of August, Ndege is competing in the 2023 Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge, which encourages foodies to visit various restaurants, sample their dishes, and vote for them online. For the competition, Ndege will serve a coconut curry rice dish Friday to Sunday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Tamu Grill and Catering, located at 1829 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis. The winner of the competition will be named in September.

Daring Abroad, a popular Kenyan TV show that highlights Kenyans living abroad, has announced a live taping of the show in Brooklyn Park on Saturday, August 19 at 4:00 p.m.

The taping which will also double as an investment forum for Kenyans in the diaspora will be held at the Brooklyn Middle Steam School, 7377 Noble Ave. N.

The event is free to attend.

Representatives from some of Kenya’s blue-chip companies like Co-operative Bank and Kenya Airways will be present to share investment opportunities and products tailored for those in the diaspora.

The show’s producer and host, veteran Kenyan journalist Mr. Alex Chamwada, unpacks the rich and multifaceted lives of Kenyans in the diaspora. In each episode, he interviews successful Kenyan entrepreneurs and professionals on their life journeys.

This is the show’s first stop in Minnesota, one of the states with the most Kenyans after Texas and the New York tri-state area.

Central Bank of Kenya figures show remittances from Kenyans in the diaspora were the leading foreign exchange earner last year totaling $4.027 billion in 2022, with close to 54% of it came from North America. Tea, the country’s leading export, brought in $1.2 billion in 2022.

Ms. Roselidah Nyaberi, president of Mwanyagetinge has spearheaded the show’s Minnesota stop with support from Minnesota Kenya Association through its president Ms. Lillian Otieno.

Ambassador David Gacheru, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Kenya Embassy in Washington DC will be the guest of honor.

Among local Minnesota Kenyan entrepreneurs expected to be interviewed by the show while they are in town include the Language Banc founder and CEO Siyad Abdullahi, who made it to Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s 50 Fastest  Growing Private Companies list, Mr. Bill Akuma of Uplifted Care Services, Attorney Henry Ongeri, and  former Brooklyn Park City Council candidate Henry Momanyi among others.

“Through Daring Abroad we bring the world right into your living room or right at your fingertips and we appreciate the support we continue to get from the diaspora community,” said Mr. Chamwada in a statement to Mshale via WhatsApp.

More info: Details on the day’s program can be found at this Chams Media link.

Note: This story has been updated to indicate that Ambassador Gacheru of the Kenya Embassy in Washington will be the guest of honor according to information posted on the Chams Media website.

Getting on the nonstop New York to Nairobi Kenya Airways flight from elsewhere in the United States just got easier, thanks to an expanded partnership agreement with Delta the Kenyan airline inked on Monday.

Passengers wishing to get on the popular Kenya Airways nonstop flight from other parts of the U.S. that Delta flies to can now book that flight on Delta.com. The Nairobi-based airline launched its nonstop service from New York to Nairobi in the fall of 2018 and is still the only non-stop connection between East Africa and the United States.

If planning to fly from Chicago to Nairobi for example, the Kenya Airways New York flight is one of the options Delta.com provides. From Nairobi, passengers have options of more than 30 single connection destinations from the Kenya Airways hub.

In early 2022 Kenya Airways entered an agreement with JetBlue to feed passengers to its New York flight with luggage checked through to Nairobi but that agreement pales in comparison with the new one with Delta. The one with Delta, as the second largest airline in the United States, comes with 57 destinations across the U.S. and Canada.

The two airlines were already members of the SkyTeam Alliance but the enhanced partnership, which the two sides described as “strategic,” also comes with more frequent flier benefits for both carriers’ loyalty club members.

Delta’s President of International, Mr. Alain Bellemare and Kenya Airways CEO, Mr. Allan Kilavuka, signed the strategic agreement at Delta headquarters in Atlanta flanked by executives from both airlines.

“At a time when we are seeing unprecedented demand for travel between North America and Africa, expanding our strategic partnership with Kenya Airways offers our customers more travel options as well as supports our priority to deepen our presence across the African continent,” said Bellemare.

Mr. Kilavuka hailed the agreement as one that will enhance connectivity between Africa and the U.S.

“The expansion of the codeshare is historic as it not only allows KQ to expand its footprint in the U.S., providing seamless connectivity on a single ticket for those travelling for business, leisure or studies.  It also offers seamless connectivity to those visiting Africa for similar reasons through JFK into KQ’s hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi,” said Kilavuka.