Kenya expands trade across gulf region and strengthens economic ties with UAE

Kenya’s State Department for Trade is actively pushing Kenya’s diplomatic missions across the world to expand the country's export capabilities and strengthen trade relations with other countries.

The aim is to export Kenyan products in the Gulf Cooperation Council region and reach as many importers as they can to unlock new trade opportunities.

Regina Ombam, Principal Secretary for Trade conducted talks with Consul General at the Kenyan Embassy in Dubai, Jayne Toroitich and emphasised over Kenya’s possible growing trade ties with United Arab Emirates along with commercial diplomacy. The country’s trade department is also focusing on stretching their export mission to the wider region of the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

The officials discussed the execution of Kenya-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to strengthen trade and investment cooperation among both the countries.

CEPA agreement is a trade and investment agreement that was signed between the Republic of Kenya and UAE in the beginning of 2025. This is the first CEPA that UAE has finalised with an African country to deepen bilateral trade, economic cooperation and investment.

The agreement includes, elimination of tariffs, provides market access to Kenyan service providers and vice versa to services such as education, communication, transport, construction.

Similarly, it encourages Foreign Direct Investment and public-private partnerships into targeting sectors like water, energy, ports, logistics, health, ICT, Agri-value chains with UAE. Kenya has emerged as a logistics and trade hub for East and Southern Africa, meanwhile UAE is establishing its role as a regional logistics hub and building a bridge between Africa with Asia and beyond.

Kenya’s export industry is majorly dominated by agricultural products such as tea, cut flowers and coffee. It has secured regional ties with East Africa and other key global buyers in Asia and Europe. According to the data released by CEIC, Kenya’s total export recorded $753.8 million in January 2026, comparatively to $714.9 million, recorded in the previous month.

Kenyan total exports grew 11.6% year-on-year in January 2026, whereas the Kenya Trade Balance recorded a deficit of $1.1 billion in the same month of 2026.

Apart from this, earlier in March 2026, a collaboration between Business France East Africa and the French Chamber of Commerce in Kenya launched 'Doing Business in Kenya Guide 2026' that aimed to provide French investors with detailed insights in the Kenyan market.

France is currently the fifth largest provider of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Kenya under which it supports nearly 46,000 direct jobs. Simultaneously, the bilateral trade between both the countries has surpassed $300 million.