President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday directed Kenyan government officials to be at the forefront of trade facilitation to give the country a comparative advantage as an investment destination of choice.
The president, who invited Gulf investors to settle in Kenya, said the country needed to adapt to what investors wanted and cut red tape that undermined trade.
“We have to be the welcoming party. We are here to listen. We are here to facilitate. We are here to do what these investors require of us to come to our country to bring their investment, help us create jobs and help us develop our economy,” said President Kenyatta.
The Head of State was speaking at the opening of the Kenya Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States Business Forum in Dubai on the first day of his working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Captains of industry and business executives from Kenya and the Gulf region, among other delegations, attended the high-level business forum held on the sidelines of Expo 2020 Dubai.
President Kenyatta emphasized that Kenya is seeking to strengthen its trade with the UAE, noting that Kenya could produce and supply a wide range of goods and services that the UAE imports from other parts of the world.
“These include services such as hospitality and tourism, banking and financial services, ICT and data processing.
Regarding goods, we have animals and animal products, gold, cut flowers, fish, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, textiles and garments, vegetables and fruits that the UAE could get from Kenya at competitive prices,” the official said. President Kenyatta.
The president said that improving trade between Kenya and the Gulf countries would help address the urgent need for jobs and economic opportunities for young people.
He especially urged business leaders from the public and private sectors to develop a special trade framework that will give preference to small and medium-sized enterprises in the East African Community and the GCC.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday directed Kenyan government officials to be at the forefront of trade facilitation to give the country a comparative advantage as an investment destination of choice.
The president, who invited Gulf investors to settle in Kenya, said the country needed to adapt to what investors wanted and cut red tape that undermined trade.
“We have to be the welcoming party. We are here to listen. We are here to facilitate. We are here to do what these investors require of us to come to our country to bring their investment, help us create jobs and help us develop our economy,” said President Kenyatta.
The Head of State was speaking at the opening of the Kenya Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States Business Forum in Dubai on the first day of his working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Captains of industry and business executives from Kenya and the Gulf region, among other delegations, attended the high-level business forum held on the sidelines of Expo 2020 Dubai.
President Kenyatta emphasized that Kenya is seeking to strengthen its trade with the UAE, noting that Kenya could produce and supply a wide range of goods and services that the UAE imports from other parts of the world.
“These include services such as hospitality and tourism, banking and financial services, ICT and data processing.
“Regarding goods, we have animals and animal products, gold, cut flowers, fish, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, textiles and garments, vegetables and fruits that the UAE could get from Kenya at competitive prices,” the official said. President Kenyatta.
The president said that improving trade between Kenya and the Gulf countries would help address the urgent need for jobs and economic opportunities for young people.
He especially urged business leaders from the public and private sectors to develop a special trade framework that will give preference to small and medium-sized enterprises in the East African Community and the GCC.
At the same time, President Kenyatta expressed the need to develop a long-term solution to the many tariff and non-tariff barriers that restrict trade between Kenya and the Gulf region.
“To this end, I propose that we consider starting discussions on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council under the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement,” the president said.
On sports tourism, President Kenyatta said that Kenya is ready to make use of its training camps and coaches for nationals from GCC states.
“Let me take this opportunity to invite citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council states to come and experience our world famous tourist attractions. We have a long history of travel, trade and cultural relations between the East African coast and this region, and we are always ready to welcome you,” he said.
President Kenyatta thanked His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nayan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, for inviting him to attend Expo 2020 Dubai, one of the biggest world events to occur during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Expo 2020 Dubai brought renewed optimism to the world and provided us with a platform to explore new opportunities to promote trade and investment.
Kenya is participating in the Expo to sell its brand and has come with great expectations to build new business partnerships with the citizens of this country and the nearly 20 million visitors who will attend the expo,” said President Kenyatta.
Responding to trade concerns raised by the Kenyan business delegation, UAE Undersecretary for the Economy Abdulla Alsaleh said the Gulf nation is working to remove any obstacles hampering trade between the two countries.
At the high-level event attended by various cabinet secretaries, business executives and agencies from Kenya and the Gulf region, a number of pacts were signed including agreements on services, tourism, goods, logistics and investments,
President Kenyatta will hold talks with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, at the Sea Palace in Abu Dhabi.
