Media Center

Within the initiatives of the UAE Government Experience Exchange Programme GEEP, the governments of the UAE and the Republic of Kenya have launched a new partnership to exchange knowledge and share experiences in governance and governmental work development. The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding MoU in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, during the fourth session of the UAE-Kenya joint Committee.

The MoU was signed by Her Excellency Maryam Bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet, and His Excellency Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya.

The partnership aims to consolidate joint efforts and cooperation in building institutional capacities and governance processes in the development of government work, and other areas of mutual interest. Her Excellency Maryam Al Hammadi stated that the UAE government is keen to implement the directives of the wise leadership to expand constructive cooperation and build fruitful partnerships with various countries. Through these partnerships, the UAE aims to further enhance international cooperation for developing and modernising governmental work and join the global action towards a better future.

His Excellency Musalia Mudavadi affirmed that the Republic of Kenya and the United Arab Emirates enjoy distinguished relations, pointing out that the UAE provides over 30,000 jobs for Kenyan citizens. His Excellency reaffirmed Kenyas commitment to strengthening the two nations friendship, adding that his visit to the UAE, along with the signing of new agreements and the launching of new partnerships, confirms this growing relationship. He added that both countries will double their efforts to further advance relations, foster opportunities and unlock potential that will benefit people of both nations. He also pointed out that the strong ties between Kenya and the UAE date back to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1982, praising the UAEs supportive role in Kenyas development initiatives. He asserted that the continuously growing cooperation will contribute to expanding and enhancing future opportunities.

A Partnership that Reflects the Positive Impact of Exchanging Experience
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange affirmed that the new UAE-Kenya partnership in government modernisation reflects the positive impact of the UAE Government Experience Exchange Programmes initiatives. It showcases the programmes ongoing efforts to extend partnerships and enhance cooperation with governments across all continents. His Excellency mentioned that the partnership will cover eight vital areas most closely linked to the future visions of both governments, and through this partnership expertise will be transferred, and successful experiences in government development and future-readiness will be shared. The partnership will also focus on building government capacities and equipping talent with the necessary skills and tools to accelerate the implementation of futuristic plans and visions.

The MoU covers diverse areas of cooperation between the governments of the UAE and Kenya, including the development of government services to reach all customer segments through proactive initiatives and exceptional services, while building the capabilities of government employees in charge with designing and delivering these services. Additionally, the cooperation areas include a national agenda that enables both parties to enrich their experience in performance management, review and improve the national development plan to achieve future visions, and ensure full and effective coordination between various government entities. The focus is also on government excellence through the transfer of experiences and best practices in promoting a culture of excellence in government entities, developing the government excellence model, and building capacities to qualify government change-makers who are capable of promoting innovation and scoring accomplishments.

The partnership areas further include cooperation in enhancing government competitiveness in the fields of general competitiveness, entrepreneurship, prosperity, innovation, and technology, and exchanging best practices in global competitiveness. Additionally, it involves human resources development through the application of new concepts, adoption of modern international standards, and development of world-class human resources systems, policies, and legislation to manage human capital in the government sector. The cooperation between the UAE and Kenyan governments covers coding skills, improving customer experience of e-government services and restructuring internal process systems, as well as areas of mutual interest such as gender balance, renewable energy, youth, public policy development, enhancing entrepreneurship, and economic sustainable development.

It is noteworthy that the fourth session of the UAE-Kenya Joint Committee was held in Abu Dhabi, and co-chaired by Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, and Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya. The session featured a wide range of senior officials who discussed enhancing cooperation in sectors such as trade, investment, tourism, aviation, renewable energy, education, youth, agriculture, transportation and ports, labor, and defense, among others.