Kenya and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the first such trade deal between the UAE and a mainland African country, positioning Kenya as a strategic gateway for trade, investment and technology cooperation with the Gulf region.
The agreement is expected to deepen bilateral trade ties, remove tariff and non-tariff barriers, ease customs procedures and promote industrialisation, digital trade and services. It is currently before Parliament for ratification.
To fast-track implementation of the CEPA, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mutahi Kagwe has held high-level talks with the UAE Ambassador to Kenya and representatives of the Al Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, with a focus on scaling up cooperation in agriculture and livestock development.
During the discussions, CS Kagwe outlined key priority areas under the government’s agricultural transformation agenda. These include digitisation of agriculture through the Kenya Agricultural Digital Information Centre (KADIC), skills development via institutions such as the Kenya School of Agriculture, Animal Health and Industry Training Institutes, and Bukura Agricultural College, as well as strengthening extension services across the country.
ALSO READ:
High Court rules whatsapp, sms and phone calls can form binding contracts
He also highlighted the need for open market access to reduce trade barriers and called for increased investment in infrastructure to curb post-harvest losses, a major challenge facing Kenyan farmers.
The Al Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, established in 1992 with a USD 1 billion endowment, expressed interest in supporting high-impact development initiatives aligned with Kenya’s agricultural and livestock priorities under the CEPA framework.
Currently, the UAE is Kenya’s second-largest source of imports and its sixth-largest export destination. Kenya exports tea, meat, fruits, vegetables and flowers to the Gulf nation, while importing petroleum products, chemicals and machinery.
Once ratified, the CEPA is expected to unlock new growth opportunities for Kenyan exporters, strengthen value chains and reinforce Kenya’s role as a regional hub for trade and investment between Africa and the Middle East.
By Obegi Malack
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
