Kenya will benefit immensely from the just concluded forum in Nairobi that brought together businessmen from Qatar and Kenya.
But the effects of the agreements signed will be felt beyond national borders according to officials of the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Kenya has signed several agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) in various fields of cooperation with Qatar.
“It was an important forum because it will open up so much for Kenyan and Qatari businessmen. But beyond that it will enhance ties between the two countries,” Kiprono Kitonyi, the chairman of KNCCI said on the sidelines of the forum.
Among the agreements that were signed include in Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research and Cultural Cooperation.
International Money transfer company Dahabshiil was one of the institutions that signed a MoU with the business delegation from Qatar.
Dahabshiil was represented at the forum by its Chief Executive Officer Abdirashid Duale who stated that the partnership between Qatar and Kenya was important for the development in Kenya and East Africa as businesses will benefit from agreements that will be signed.
“This forum will not only help Kenyan businesses and other sectors but will also enhance the economy of the region because Qatar has interest in working closely with East Africa,” said the Dahabshiil CEO.
The Qatar leader His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani travelled with a strong contingent of business leaders to share with their Kenyan counterparts.
The two States formally established diplomatic relations on December 28, 2003.
Kenya opened an Embassy in Doha, Qatar in 2010. Similarly, Qatar opened her resident Embassy in Nairobi in April 2012.
Over the past decade Qatar has posted robust economic growth buoyed by strong hydrocarbons revenues, state–led infrastructure development and a stable financial sector.
Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with a per capita income estimated at USD 129,700.
