Ruto set to sign economic deals in UAE

President William Ruto departed the country yesterday evening for the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week summit amid questions over the cancellation of the Gulf Country leader’s visit to Kenya.
The high-level summit convenes world leaders to advance the global sustainability agenda.
President William Ruto is expected to speak during the summit themed ‘Exploring the Global Energy Transition.’
He’s expected to highlight the country’s leadership in energy and geothermal power.
“President Ruto will highlight Kenya’s leadership in renewable energy, particularly geothermal power, and identify opportunities for global partnerships to address energy challenges and foster green growth,” Statehouse spokesperson Mohammed Hussein stated.
Ruto will also hold high-level bilateral discussions with other global leaders, including His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The discussions will focus on strengthening cooperation in energy, trade, investment, and technology, which are key pillars of Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
UAE is Kenya’s sixth-largest export destination and a key market for tea, meat products, fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The president’s visit comes after the cancellation of Abu Dhabi’s leader’s visit to Nairobi.
Nairobi had been preparing to warmly welcome Emirati ruler Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for a state visit during which Kenya and the UAE were set to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Kenya had ramped up its engagements with senior government officials to finalize the draft document for bilateral agreements last year.
The cancellation confirmed that the Emirati ruler’s visit will not take place, particularly after the UAE has been under scrutiny from Kenyans on social media regarding its involvement in the carbon credits market.
There has been no high-level visit from an influential foreign leader has taken place since the Gen Z uprising in Kenya last year July.
In October 2023, Blue Carbon, a UAE royal-owned company, signed a deal for millions of hectares of forest in Kenya, and the Kenyan government’s illegal eviction of the Ogiek community from the Mau forest sparked further controversy.