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2/27/24, 9:33 AM UAE and Kenya conclude terms of Cepa trade in sectors from food to tech
The two trading partners will seek to tap into opportunities in sectors including food production,
mining, technology and logistics, Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, said in
a post on X on Friday.

“It is a landmark deal with one of the continent's most dynamic economies, offering new avenues
for growth on both sides,” he said.

“An access point into a high-growth region, Kenya is already a major partner.”

In 2023, the UAE and Kenya's non-oil trade rose 26.4 per cent year on year to $3.1 billion, Dr Al
Zeyoudi said.

This latest pact is the UAE's third Cepa with an African country. In December, it concluded the
terms of a deal with Mauritius and with the Republic of Congo.

The UAE has already concluded Cepas with India, Israel, Indonesia, Turkey, Georgia, Cambodia,
Colombia, South Korea and Costa Rica.

In 2023, the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade hit a record Dh3.5 trillion ($953 billion), bolstered by its
economic diversification plans, as the Arab world's second-largest economy signed a series of
Cepas with major economies around the world.

The pact comes a few days before the UAE hosts the World Trade Organisation's 13th Ministerial
Conference, which faces the tough task of brokering key trade agreements, on Monday.

Kenya's real gross domestic product growth rose to an estimated 5
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per cent in 2023, from 4.8 per cent in 2022. The African economy is
UAE and Republic of the Congo
finalise terms of Cepa projected to achieve growth that is between 4.5 per cent and 5.2
per cent in 2024.
UAE and Mauritius finalise terms of
Cepa deal to boost trade and The UAE-Kenya Cepa will hasten investment flows in high
investment ties potential areas such as logistics, health care, travel, tourism,

infrastructure and information communications technology.

It will help small and medium enterprises to expand, the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Trade said on
Friday.

In terms of stimulating tourism, Kenya earlier announced it had dropped visa requirements for all
visitors from around the world from January this year.

The services sector, which accounts for 53.6 per cent of Kenya’s gross domestic product, and its
agriculture sector, which comprises about a quarter of national GDP, offer “vast potential” for UAE
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businesses seeking to expand into Africa, the Ministry of Foreign Trade said.

The deal marks a “a new chapter of trade relations” between the two countries that will secure
vital East and West supply chains, spur investment into priority sectors and boost market access
for Emirati and Kenyan businesses, it said.
“The UAE-Kenya CEPA will not only boost trade and investment, but also foster innovation and
sustainable growth in key sectors such as agriculture, technology and tourism,” Dr Al Zeyoudi
said.

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