Kenya is actively courting investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly from Sharjah, to capitalize on opportunities in ports, logistics, and green industrial projects. Speaking at the UAE–Kenya Trade and Investment Forum in Nairobi, Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui highlighted that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed earlier this year by President William Ruto and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has opened a new chapter in bilateral trade. The pact, Kenya’s first CEPA with a mainland African nation, is designed to deepen trade, spur investment, and position Kenya as a strategic gateway to East and Southern Africa.
The agreement has already shown promise: bilateral trade between Kenya and the UAE has more than doubled over the past decade, with Kenya exporting meat, fruits, vegetables, and flowers, while importing petroleum, machinery, and industrial inputs. CEPA aims to reduce trade barriers, simplify customs procedures, and promote industrial collaboration, covering goods, services, digital trade, technology transfer, and sustainability. Kinyanjui noted that the Mombasa Port, Nairobi Inland Container Depot, and Kenya’s digitized customs platform, CARGOES, provide fertile ground for UAE investors seeking opportunities in logistics, digital freight systems, and port modernization.
Kenya is also positioning itself as a hub for green industrial growth, with 93 percent of its electricity already derived from renewable sources. The government has launched a US$1 billion Green Investment Fund targeting waste-to-energy projects, electric mobility, and sustainable agriculture. Plans to establish Project Preparation Facilities and expand incentives under Special Economic Zones aim to convert investment ideas into bankable projects. Officials expressed optimism that strengthened collaboration with UAE investors could accelerate Kenya’s development agenda, reduce reliance on debt, and support public-private partnerships in infrastructure, energy, and technology sectors.