Using the exchange mechanism in trade between Belarus and Kenya will simplify interaction between business entities of the two countries, help reduce commercial risks and contribute to sustainable growth of trade turnover in the long term. This opinion was expressed by Yaroslav Kovalkuk, Head of the Foreign Economic Activity Department of the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUTB), during the Africa Commerce & Industry Summit 2026, which is taking place October 14–16 in Nairobi, as reported by BELTA in the press service of BUTB.

According to a BUTB representative, the advanced digital infrastructure and years of experience in supporting cross-border transactions make the exchange a convenient entry point to the Belarusian market for Kenyan companies.

"The exchange should be viewed not merely as an electronic platform, but as a tool enabling a comprehensive solution to the full range of foreign trade tasks, including export, import, marketing, and risk insurance. Participation in exchange trading will give Kenyan businesses direct access to more than 31,000 Belarusian enterprises ready either to supply their products to Kenya or to purchase in-demand Kenyan goods. This opens broad opportunities for increasing trade turnover in both directions based on already developed product nomenclature, as well as for launching trade in new positions with high scaling potential," said Yaroslav Kovalkuk.

As a result of the negotiations held during the summit and in the course of B2B meetings, agreements

Residents of seven African countries are accredited at the BUTB, including three companies from Kenya.

Open Joint Stock Company 'Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange' was established in 2004. The first trades took place in June 2005. BUTB is one of the largest commodity exchanges in Eastern Europe. Its main function is to assist Belarusian enterprises in exporting products and to help foreign companies enter the Belarusian market. The exchange sells metal, forest, and agricultural products, as well as industrial and consumer goods of a wide range.