David Karanja, economic adviser of the Kenyan embassy in Tehran, said on the sidelines of the Iran-East Africa Trade Development Conference in the Iranian capital on Thursday that Kenya is eager to cooperate with Iran in attracting investment opportunities in both countries.
A workshop on investment opportunities in Kenya and Iran’s innovations will be held in the future, the African diplomat said.
The eastern Africa possesses good potentials in terms of manpower, raw materials and finalized products, he said, noting that both Iran and East Africa region are both producers and consumers.
Comparing gross domestic product (GDP) in Iran and eastern Africa, Karanja noted that Iran’s GDP stands at 445 billion dollars equivalent to 37 percent of world economy, while the total GDP of the East Africa region is only 193 billion dollars.
Iran and the East African states enjoy diverse markets; so, they can cooperate when it comes to complementing each other’s requirements in import and export arenas.
The Islamic Republic has established technology and innovation house in Kenya, which is considered one of the first Iranian initiatives in Africa, he added.
Kenya has a say in exporting tea at global level, the diplomat said, noting that his country is also successful in exporting coffee and tropical fruits.
Sina Sanjari, secretary of the Iran-East Africa Trade Development Conference, said that financial transactions between Iran and African states stood at 700 to 800 million dollars in recent years, indicating a high potential to expand trade exchanges.
According to the Iranian official, the East Africa countries are appropriate markets for Iran’s technical and engineering firms as well as exporters and investors.
Hossein Givzad, former Iranian ambassador to Kenya, emphasized that the East Africa nations such as Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia and Uganda are the main trade partners for Iran in Africa.
1424
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