Kenya Is Iran's Key Gateway to the African Market

The head of Iran's chamber of commerce, in a meeting with the head of Kenya's chamber, described Kenya as Iran's and other countries' most important gateway to the African market, citing its sound financial infrastructure and the strategic port of Mombasa. The Kenya report that "Kenya Is Iran's Key Gateway to the African Market" first appeared on Safir Arjan.

According to Ambassador Arjan, Samad Hassanzadeh, President of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture during his trip to Nairobi, in a meeting with Eric Ruto, President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), congratulating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Kenya Chamber, Dr. Ruto's membership in the General Council of the World Federation of Chambers is a platform for the cooperation of the two chambers in the international assemblies of chambers and said: the statistics of trade relations between Iran and Kenya, despite the very good capacities of the Islamic Republic Iran and Kenya's capacities are not at the right level and the chambers of commerce of the two countries can provide great opportunities together.

Referring to the restrictions caused by the economic sanctions in the economic relations of our country, the head of the Iranian Chamber noted: In the private sector and chambers of commerce, we have a heavy responsibility towards our nations that we must properly help and fulfill these tasks.

He considered Kenya to be the most important gateway for Iran and other countries to enter the African market due to its strong financial infrastructure and the strategic port of Mombasa, and stated: Iran sees Kenya as a strategic and bilateral partner and can play a role as a gateway for Kenya to enter Central Asia and Eurasia.

Hassanzadeh listed Iran's capacities with emphasis on the fields of health and medicine, agriculture, energy, petrochemicals and fertilizers, infrastructure, housing and technology, and found these capacities to be in line with Kenya's development needs and emphasized: Although the Islamic Republic of Iran has been under sanctions for decades, it has achieved very large capacities despite the sanctions, and we are interested and consider it our duty to share these capacities with African countries.

He announced the readiness of Iran's private sector to participate in the supply of medicine and medical equipment, as well as in joint production in Kenya, in line with the policy of domestic production of medicine, and said: "In the field of agriculture and food security, we are also ready to transfer technical knowledge in mechanization, modern irrigation, processing and transformation industries and reduce post-harvest waste, and joint investment with Kenyan partners in the agricultural value chain."

Hassanzadeh stated that Iran has a competitive advantage in bitumen, petrochemical products and chemical fertilizers and is ready to participate in energy and renewable energy development projects beyond the supply of goods. In terms of Iran's capacities in the field of infrastructure, housing and technology, he also said: We are also ready to participate in Kenya's construction projects in the field of sharing the power of Iranian companies in construction, dam building, power plant, mass housing and information technology.

The head of the Iran Chamber mentioned the joint investment of Iranian and Kenyan economic activists in the field of extraterritorial cultivation, road construction and the establishment of petrochemical and refinery facilities as other areas of interest for the development of economic cooperation between Iran and Kenya.

Expressing his interest in sustainable trade between Iran and Kenya and importing tea, coffee and other agricultural products from Kenya, the head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture emphasized: We are developing trade through clearing for more cooperation with most countries.

In explaining the solutions to facilitate trade between the two countries, he emphasized the establishment of direct flights between Tehran and Nairobi to facilitate the movement of businessmen from the two countries, and emphasized Dr. Ruto to travel to Tehran at the head of a business delegation and expand the sending and receiving of business delegations from the two countries.

Seyyed Mehdi Tabibzadeh, head of Kerman Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, also in this meeting, referring to the diverse capacities of different provinces of Iran, called for the formation of a joint business committee and the removal of trade barriers, including customs and tariff barriers, and emphasized the facilitation of trade relations.

The head of the Kerman chamber noted that the establishment of a permanent center for the display of Iranian products in Nairobi can be considered.

Eric Ruto, the head of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kenya, also welcomed the presence of the head of the Iranian chamber and the accompanying delegation in Nairobi, and emphasized that it is important for Kenya to attract the participation of economic actors from other countries in dam construction, road construction, mining and health services.

Mustafa Ramadan, the vice president of the Kenya Chamber, also considered the current figures for trade between the two countries to be insufficient, considering the population and capacities of Iran and Kenya, and said: Iran can access the African market worth one billion dollars through Kenya.

He said: "Energy, logistics and technical and engineering services are among the areas where Iran has great advantages that can increase its presence in these areas in the Kenyan market, and the Kenya Chamber should take the necessary measures to remove the obstacles to Iran's presence in this area."