Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei signed the agreement alongside Elba on Tuesday, November 3, on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2026) in Antigua and Barbuda.
“On the sidelines of #CHOGM2026 in Antigua and Barbuda, I signed a Statement of Intent on behalf of Kenya with Sir Idris Elba, Chairman of the Akuna Group, establishing a pathway for cooperation in the creative economy,” Sing’Oei said.
By building these global bridges, the partnership directly reinforces the Kenyan government’s flagship Talanta Hela initiative, giving young artists and digital creators the tools they need to commercialize their work and build sustainable careers.
“Our ambition is to connect Kenya’s extraordinary creative talent to technology, investment and opportunities across the Commonwealth, turning creativity into dignified work, scalable enterprise and national influence,” Sing’Oei said.
This strategic venture forms part of the broader Commonwealth Creative Economy Partnership, a joint alliance that includes Kenya, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Barbados.
The agreement builds on momentum from a September virtual session between Sing’Oei and Elba, where the two addressed systemic hurdles facing young African artists and creative entrepreneurs. During that session, Elba underscored the urgent need for practical infrastructure, ranging from reliable cross-border payment systems and professional networks to creative education and emerging technologies.
As part of this ongoing effort, Akuna Group is already training African filmmakers in artificial intelligence production through a landmark mentorship initiative alongside Google and online AI filmmaking school Curious Refuge.
Originally announced by Elba in October, the program provides production funding for selected projects while ensuring participating filmmakers retain full ownership of their intellectual property.
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