This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
On October 31, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a global financial forum that brought together participants from over 40 nations.
President Kenyatta emphasized that the trade volumes between the Middle East and Kenya are significantly lower than they were during the era of monsoon winds that propelled dhows.
“Here we are in the age of airplanes and ships, and the trade between the East African coast and the Gulf is not even a quarter of what it used to be. We are natural partners, and we need to renew our partnership,” the President said.
President Kenyatta urged Middle East investors not to be deterred by negative media stories that portray Africa in a negative light, instead highlighting the continent's growth and prosperity.
“Africa is a land that is transforming. Africa is a land that is seeking to get out of poverty and corruption,” the President said, urging the people of the two regions to partner in development.
He noted that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has created a massive trading block of over a billion people, with Kenya being one of the nations strategically positioned to drive business growth on the continent.
President Kenyatta also met with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to discuss trade and security ties between Kenya and Saudi Arabia, with the two leaders agreeing to enhance cooperation in the fight against global terrorism.
