Kenya's Strategic Shift: UAE Partnership for Railway Financing

Kenya is negotiating with the UAE to finance the completion of a regional railway after China halted funding. This railway, part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, stopped in 2019 short of Uganda's border. The partnership may boost regional integration and trade. Kenya-UAE trade is expanding rapidly.

Kenya is actively engaging with the United Arab Emirates to secure funding for the completion of a critical regional railway project, President William Ruto announced. This development follows China's decision to withdraw infrastructure funding, leaving the railway incomplete after reaching the Rift Valley.

The ambitious railway project, initially part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, aims to connect the Kenyan port city of Mombasa with Uganda and potentially South Sudan. As it stands, the railway halts 468 kilometers short of the Uganda border. During a meeting in Abu Dhabi, Ruto discussed potential partnerships to extend the railway's reach and enhance regional trade and integration.

Furthermore, Kenya and the UAE solidified their economic ties by signing a comprehensive partnership agreement, which seeks to increase trade by removing obstacles and streamlining customs. Kenya, which has already established the UAE as a significant trade partner, aims to leverage these developments to further cement its role as a gateway to East Africa.

(With inputs from agencies.)