Kenya’s Global Sugar Moment: What This Means for the Nation

By Kepher Otieno - Reporter

Kenya, 11 December 2025 - Kenya’s sugar industry has gained an unexpected boost on the global stage following the election of Kenya Sugar Board CEO Jude Chesire as Chairman of the International Sugar Organisation (ISO) Council for 2026.

His unanimous endorsement marks a historic first for both Kenya and the African continent, signalling a growing recognition of Africa’s role in shaping international sugar policy.

For Kenya, the moment crowns an ambitious reform drive that has sought to revive an industry long defined by debt, inefficiency and political interference.

Chesire’s rise comes at a time when Kenya has been working to reposition itself as a competitive sugar producer.

Recent restructuring measures — including the leasing of state-owned mills, the expansion of cane acreage and the introduction of better farmer-payment systems — have already led to notable gains in production and revived confidence among growers.

Under his watch, the country has achieved an impressive uptick in output and created renewed optimism within a sector that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. Against this backdrop, Chesire’s global appointment is being read domestically as validation that Kenya is finally on the right track.

Beyond symbolic prestige, the ISO chairmanship carries tangible influence. The officeholder guides global discussions on trade policies, sustainability standards, sugar-market stability, and the increasingly important bioethanol and carbon-credit sectors.

Chesire will also oversee the recruitment of the next Executive Director and preside over revisions to the ISO Constitution — tasks that will shape the organisation’s direction for years to come. For Kenya, this places a national industry in direct proximity to the levers of international policy, offering opportunities to lobby for fairer trade terms, greater market access and stronger protection from global price shocks.

Chesire has indicated that Kenya intends to make full use of this moment, expressing confidence that the reforms at home have positioned the country to play a constructive global role.

“All is tipped well,” he said, portraying the election as a culmination of sustained efforts to restore credibility in a struggling sector.

His optimism reflects a belief that Kenya not only has something to gain from global engagement, but also something to contribute — from lessons learned in reform to ambitions in value addition, renewable energy and sustainable cane-farming practices.

The election also signals a broader shift in global commodity governance. With Africa now holding both the chair and vice-chair positions in the ISO Council, the continent is poised to influence international sugar deliberations more significantly than ever before.

For decades, African sugar-producing countries have operated on the margins of global decision-making despite being home to millions of smallholder farmers and substantial untapped production potential.

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This new leadership could help unify African positions in global trade talks and strengthen the continent’s negotiation power.

Yet the recognition brings new pressures. Kenya must demonstrate that its recent turnaround is not a short-term surge but the foundation of a stable, competitive and transparent industry.

Private-sector operators handling leased mills will be expected to maintain efficiency gains, uphold farmer incentives and phase in long-promised modernisation.

At the policy level, regulators face the challenge of sustaining fair pricing while buffering farmers and consumers against global volatility.

Climate risks, disease pressures and cross-border competition further complicate the landscape.

Internationally, Chesire will need to balance the interests of major sugar exporters, large consumer markets, and countries pursuing greener energy transitions.

The ISO chairmanship requires diplomatic skill and policy acumen, as decisions on sustainability standards, ethanol blending policies and market-stabilization measures carry consequences for economies around the world.

Still, the moment is a clear win for Kenya. It allows the country to showcase its reform momentum and potentially unlock new investment in sugar processing, cogeneration and ethanol ventures.

It also aligns with Kenya’s ambition to achieve sugar self-sufficiency within the next few years — an objective that, if realized, would dramatically reduce the need for costly imports.

Chesire’s election therefore represents more than a personal accolade; it offers Kenya and Africa a rare chance to sit at the centre of global sugar governance.

Whether this opportunity translates into long-term economic and policy gains will depend on how effectively both the country and the continent engage with the responsibilities of global leadership.

For now, though, the mood within Kenya’s sugar belt is one of guarded optimism — and, as Chesire insists, a sense that “all is tipped well.”