Written by Kelly Were
Nairobi, Kenya — In a significant diplomatic milestone, President Dr. William Samoei Ruto of the Republic of Kenya welcomed His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Nairobi at the start of the UAE top diplomat’s working visit.
The visit underscored the strengthening bond between the two nations, as H.H. Sheikh Abdullah conveyed warm greetings from UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, along with well wishes from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In response, President Ruto sent his greetings and best wishes for the continued prosperity of the UAE and its people.
During the high-level talks held at State House Nairobi, both leaders explored avenues to deepen bilateral relations, particularly in economic development, trade, investment, tourism, and energy. Emphasizing the historic and growing relationship between the two nations, Sheikh Abdullah noted the UAE’s ongoing commitment to fostering developmental cooperation with friendly African countries. He praised Kenya’s impressive progress across various sectors and expressed pride in reinforcing this strategic partnership.
The visit culminated in the signing of seven pivotal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and cooperation agreements, aimed at laying the groundwork for long-term collaboration:
- Military Cooperation – Signed by UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan and Kenya’s Defence Cabinet Secretary Roselinda Soipan Tuya.
- Transport Cooperation – Signed by Sheikh Shakhboot and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir.
- Bilateral Framework Agreement on Economic Development – Signed by Sheikh Shakhboot and National Treasury CS CPA John Mbadi.
- Customs Cooperation – Agreement on mutual administrative assistance signed with Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga.
- Joint Business Council Formation – MoU between the UAE Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, signed by UAE Assistant Minister Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri and KNCCI President Dr. Erick Ruto.
- Energy Cooperation – Signed by UAE Ambassador Dr. Salem Ibrahim Al Naqbi and Principal Secretary for Energy Alex Kamau Wachira.
- Railway Development – MoU between Etihad Rail and Kenya Railways, signed by Etihad Rail CEO Shadi Malak and Kenya Railways MD Philip J. Mainga.
President Ruto emphasized the significance of the accords in a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account:
“We are focused on deepening diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and delivering on our Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to ensure we strengthen economic collaboration for the mutual benefit of our two nations. We are also strengthening security collaboration at the regional and global levels to promote peace and stability.”
This flurry of agreements signals a renewed momentum in Kenya-UAE relations, anchoring both countries as key partners in shaping regional economic and security frameworks for the future.
