Ruto leaves for UAE to attend Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit
By Francis Muli, January 13, 2025
President William Ruto departed the country on Monday, January 13, 2025, to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) Summit.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed announced Ruto’s departure, revealing that Ruto is scheduled to speak during the opening session of the summit.
“President William Ruto departs the country this evening to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) Summit in the UAE, a high-level forum that convenes world leaders to advance the global sustainability agenda. The President is scheduled to speak during the opening session of the summit, whose theme is “Exploring the Global Energy Transition.”,” Mohamed stated.
Mohamed says 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.
According to Mohamed, Ruto will also hold high-level bilateral discussions with key global leaders, including Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
“These discussions will focus on strengthening cooperation in energy, trade, investment, and technology, which are key pillars of Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” he added.
During the visit, Kenya and the UAE are expected to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which will foster increased trade, investment, and development cooperation between the two countries.
“The UAE is Kenya’s sixth-largest export destination and a key market for tea, meat products, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The agreement is expected to further simplify export procedures, enhance market access for trade in services, and stimulate increased investments from the UAE across several sectors,” Mohamed added.
Mudavadi in UAE
Already, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi is in UAE for bilateral discussions and the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
“This agreement aims to deepen the bonds between Kenya and the UAE by fostering preferential, mutually advantageous trade, investment, and economic collaboration. Through the gradual removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers on most traded goods, it paves the way for a robust free trade area between the two countries,” Mudavadi stated on Monday, January 13, 2025.
“As part of the governments vision to amplify Kenya’s global influence, this milestone agreement will unlock new trade and investment opportunities and create pathways for foreign jobs for Kenyans. Notably, diaspora remittances have surpassed the combined revenues of tea, coffee, flowers, and tourism, and this deal seeks to further bolster these critical contributions.”