Kenya and UAE Strengthen Economic Ties at High-Level Trade and Investment Forum in Nairobi

The Kenya Investment Authority (Invest Kenya), in collaboration with the Sharjah Exports Development Center, an initiative of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), today hosted the high-level UAE–Kenya Trade and Investment Forum at the Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi.

The event brought together senior government officials and a high-level trade delegation from the United Arab Emirates to strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation and explore new opportunities in Kenya’s priority sectors.

The forum builds on the strong momentum generated by the Kenya–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed in January 2025, marking a new chapter in bilateral economic cooperation. In 2024, UAE foreign direct investment in Kenya reached USD 121 million, positioning the UAE as Kenya’s sixth-largest source of foreign investment. During the same period, bilateral trade between the two nations amounted to approximately USD 3.4 billion, underscoring the depth and vitality of their growing economic partnership.

The United Arab Emirates delegation was led by H.E. Abdalla Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and comprised representatives from 20 leading companies across key economic sectors.

The keynote address was delivered by Ms. Regina Akoth Ombam, Principal Secretary, State Department for Trade, on behalf of Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry. In her remarks, Ms. Ombam highlighted Kenya’s dynamic investment landscape and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering robust and mutually beneficial economic partnerships with the UAE.

“Kenya is open for business, and our partnership with the UAE is a cornerstone of our national economic strategy,” said Ms. Regina Akoth Ombam. “This forum demonstrates our shared resolve to create meaningful trade and investment linkages that deliver tangible outcomes for both countries. We are focused on attracting quality investments that create jobs and support our industrialization goals.”

H.E. Abdalla Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI, noted that the UAE business community continues to view Kenya as a promising investment destination in East Africa. “Kenya offers stability, market access, and a strong commitment to partnership,” he said. “Through this forum, we seek to build long-term collaborations that encourage innovation, improve trade flows, and unlock new growth opportunities.”

Speaking during the event, Mr. John Mwendwa, OGW, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Kenya, emphasized the forum’s role in connecting investors with actionable opportunities. “Our engagement with the UAE private sector is part of Kenya’s strategy to position itself as a regional gateway for investment. The business discussions held today reaffirm the shared ambition of both nations to strengthen private sector linkages and unlock new avenues for trade. Partnerships like these are key to expanding Kenya’s investment footprint and fostering inclusive growth.”

The trade mission includes major UAE investors actively seeking projects in Kenya. Notable interests include:

• Gulftainer: A global port management and logistics firm with annual revenues of USD

462.4 million (2025), proposing significant investments in the Port of Mombasa. The company plans to co-finance the rehabilitation of older berths and enter into a 25-year Public–Private Partnership (PPP) for the modernization and operation of berths 11–14, as well as explore launching a direct shipping line to enhance regional connectivity.

• BEEAH Group: A government-backed conglomerate with annual revenues of USD 501 billion (2025), operating across energy, waste management, healthcare, and real The group is exploring opportunities in renewable energy and county-level sustainability partnerships, leveraging experience from the Sharjah Waste-to-Energy Plant, which produces 30 MW of electricity, with plans to expand capacity by an additional 60 MW under Phase II and 120 MW through solar parks on repurposed landfill sites.
• Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI): The UAE’s federal export credit agency, supporting trade and investment through clean energy financing and risk insurance. In 2023, ECI committed USD 500 million in credit insurance for Africa’s clean energy sector as part of the UAE’s USD 5 billion Africa Green Investment Initiative. Seventeen percent of its portfolio covers medium- to long-term energy and infrastructure projects.

The forum also featured business-to-business sessions connecting the UAE delegation with Kenyan enterprises to identify collaboration opportunities in logistics, renewable energy, ICT, manufacturing, and services.

The forum aims to fast-track the ratification of the CEPA and facilitate private sector partnerships across agriculture, energy, logistics, and manufacturing.

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