President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya, participated in the signing of the UAE-Kenya Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi. This far-reaching agreement aims to deepen trade and investment ties, strengthen supply chains, and enhance market access across the Middle East and Africa.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed the CEPA, focusing attention on the UAE’s commitment to strengthening economic relationships across Africa and creating new opportunities for businesses and investors. He noted that the agreement is expected to boost trade and investment while fostering innovation and sustainable growth in key sectors, including agriculture, retail, healthcare, financial services, technology, and tourism.

The UAE seeks to deepen its relations with Kenya and expand its developmental partnerships within Africa. Dr. William Samoei Ruto expressed gratitude to Sheikh Mohamed for his dedication to enhancing ties between the two nations. He highlighted the CEPA as a significant advancement in their economic relations and reaffirmed Kenya’s eagerness to achieve mutual benefits from the partnership.

The CEPA was signed by His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and His Excellency Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya. This new agreement builds on the growing cooperation between the UAE and Kenya, which recorded bilateral non-oil trade reaching US$3.1 billion in the first nine months of 2024, marking a 29.1 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Kenya’s economy is among the most promising in Africa, with real GDP growth of 5.6 percent in 2023 and projections suggesting an average growth rate of 5.2 percent from 2024 to 2026. The services sector, which constitutes 53.6 percent of Kenya’s GDP, along with the agriculture sector, accounting for around a quarter of national GDP, present vast opportunities for UAE businesses looking to expand into the region.

The CEPA is also expected to accelerate investment flows in high-potential sectors such as information and communication technology (ICT), banking, tourism, infrastructure, and renewable energy. Foreign trade is a cornerstone of the UAE’s economic strategy and a central element of its goal to double the size of its economy to over US$800 billion by the end of the decade.