The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Kenya enjoy strong and steadily advancing bilateral relations founded on friendship, mutual respect, shared interests, and a common commitment to promoting the prosperity and well-being of both nations. Diplomatic relations were established in 1982 with the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in Abu Dhabi, followed by the inauguration of the Consulate General of Kenya in Dubai in 2011. The United Arab Emirates opened its Embassy in Nairobi in 2012, followed by the establishment of a Visa Application Center in 2014. Most recently, the UAE extended visa-on-arrival eligibility to Kenyan nationals and their family members holding valid residence permits or visas issued by the United States, European Union member states, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Singapore, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada.
In recent years, the bilateral partnership has gained significant momentum, particularly in trade, investment, employment opportunities, air connectivity, security and defense, knowledge exchange, and international cooperation. The UAE has become a key destination for Kenyan exports and a leading source of Kenya's imports, while the growing presence of Emirati companies in Kenya and Kenyan businesses in the UAE reflects the expanding scope of economic cooperation between the two countries. Bilateral trade continues to record sustained growth, further reinforcing this dynamic partnership. In addition, the Embassy actively contributes to multilateral engagement through its accreditation to the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
