Details of Talks Between Ruto and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed During Abu Dhabi Visit

President William Ruto on Wednesday held high-level talks with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during his working visit to Abu Dhabi.

The meeting focused on strengthening the relationship between Kenya and the UAE, with the two leaders discussing ways to increase cooperation in key sectors such as trade, investment, infrastructure, renewable energy, and technology.

According to reports from UAE media, the talks were held under the framework of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which aims to boost economic ties between the two countries.

The two leaders also discussed how to build on the agreements that already exist between Kenya and the UAE so as to open up new opportunities for economic growth and development.

Part of the discussions focused on investment opportunities that can benefit both countries, especially in areas like clean energy, infrastructure development, and emerging technologies.

The meeting comes at a time when Kenya continues to rely on the UAE for petroleum imports through the government-to-government fuel deal.

Under the agreement, Kenya imports between 660,000 and 810,000 metric tonnes of petroleum products every month from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

State-owned companies from the UAE, including Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), are among the firms supplying fuel to Kenya.

The talks also come as UAE-linked companies continue to invest heavily in Kenya.

One of the major projects includes the development of special economic zones and industrial parks, with billions of shillings expected to be invested in projects along the Coast and in Naivasha.

Another major project involves the Galana-Kulalu irrigation scheme, where UAE-based Al Dahra Group is leading agricultural development efforts.

The two leaders also discussed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

President Ruto reportedly renewed Kenya’s condemnation of the attacks targeting Gulf countries, saying such actions threaten regional peace and stability.

Although no official agreement had been announced by the time of publication, the meeting is expected to further strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between Kenya and the UAE.