Kenya plans to expand its exports to the Gulf region through participating in the world's fair Expo 2020 Dubai that will take place from October to March 2022, a government official said on Tuesday. Wilfred Marube, CEO of Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, a state corporation that promotes Kenya's export of goods and services, told a virtual meeting that Kenya has the potential to increase its exports to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries due to its high disposable income and as well as the region's high affinity for foreign products.
The Gulf Cooperation Council consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is an important market for Kenya's exports. Main exports to the region include tea, fruits, vegetables, cut flowers and livestock products. According to Marube, the East African nation exports 60 billion shillings (555 million U.S. dollars) annually to the six countries, representing 0.11 percent of the market share of the region's total imports.