The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) has launched its first liaison office in Dubai in a move aimed at empowering and protecting Kenyan businesses in the Middle East.
This introduces a dedicated framework to mitigate the escalating commercial risks that have cost Kenyan exporters billions of shillings annually.
The UAE is currently Kenya’s 5th largest export destination, with trade volumes reaching $401.5 million (Sh51.4 billion) in 2023.
According to the KNCCI President, Erick Rutto, the growth has been overshadowed by significant losses, with the livestock sector alone suffering Sh6 billion in annual losses due to unpaid exports.
“We will no longer allow Kenyan exporters to be exploited. The documented losses, including 156 containers of fresh produce lost annually to rogue importers, are unacceptable and unsustainable,’’ Rutto said.
“This Dubai office represents our commitment to turn the tide by providing real-time intelligence and a rapid response mechanism to engage UAE authorities directly when disputes arise”.
Salat Ali, chairperson of the KNCCI Dubai, said that the new suite is equipped with a trade protection tool designed to vet buyers and secure contracts.
He emphasized that the office will serve as a “one-stop shop” for Kenyan exporters to access verified buyer networks and legal advocacy, ensuring that the “export dream” does not become a financial nightmare.
The event also underscored the massive untapped potential within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) market.
For instance, Richard Kyuma, CEO of the National Livestock Development and Promotional Services, provided a sobering statistic, noting that despite Kenya’s vast resources of 22 million cattle and 58 million sheep and goats, the country currently supplies only 14 per cent of the Gulf market demand.
According to him, with improved market coordination and the protection services now offered by KNCCI, the livestock sector is poised to become a primary driver of Kenya’s national GDP.
The chamber’s CEO, KK Mutai, reaffirmed the chamber’s mission to facilitate seamless trade through the authentication of goods via the Certificate of Origin (COO) and robust arbitration frameworks.
“Exporting should be profitable, not a gamble,” he said.
by VICTOR AMADALA
