Dubai : The UAE is now Kenya's largest trading partner and the Nairobi government is actively and aggressively pursuing investment partners in its growing economy.
To further strengthen trade and tourism ties between the two nations, a high-level Kenyan delegation is currently visiting Dubai, a trip which also coincides with the first ever Kenya Week celebrations in the UAE.
Yesterday, Kenya's tourism minister, Najeeb Balala, held a press conference highlighting the setting up of an Arabic language portal for visitors to Kenya, and also announced the official opening of a representative tourism office to be operated for Kenya's Tourism Board.
In the first 10 months of this year, 9,317 visitors from the UAE visited Kenya, up from 7,688 in 2006, and 8,147 in all of 2007. Better exposure, improved airline links and a growing investment in Kenya helped spur the growth.
Balala said the investment in the tourism sector in Kenya would be largely exempt from VAT and levies imposed in other sectors, helping to spur growth investment by UAE companies. He said the taxes and levies would remain in place for all other sectors and goods.
Transferring funds
Asked about the mPesa system of transferring funds via cell phones — a method highly popular with Kenyan expatriates in the UK where the system is only available — Balala said that the private-sector system was very successful.
"Obviously it is a private sector initiative but it is one which we are very eager to see extended to all parts of the world," he said. Such a move would help Kenyan expatriates in the UAE with remittances to their native land.
The Kenyan delegation will be meeting with its expatriate community to gauge how best build on the strong ties between Nairobi and the UAE.
Balala stressed that his government had invested heavily in the roads and transport sector to improve Kenya's highway network, build and improve roads between major cities and tourist destinations. And as a matter of priority, the government is instituting a new rating system for hotels, encouraging the refurbishment of facilities and working to improve hygiene in the nation.
He said his government has no plans to introduce restrictions on foreign ownership of property in Kenya, acknowledging that overseas owners had helped increase the cost of housing.
The tourism minister said Nairobi is committed to improving ties and tourism opportunities between the two countries, and he said Kenya would be actively participating in the global village expo in Dubai.
Kenya Week activities wrap up tomorrow.
Source:gulfnews.com/
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