UAE and Kenya Partner to Turn Climate Ambition into Bankable Projects

As COP31 opens in Antalya, Türkiye, the UAE and Kenya are poised to take their partnership to the next level by connecting Kenya's renewable energy resources and development ambitions with Emirati capital, technology, and investment expertise. This partnership has the potential to translate climate commitments into reliable electricity, stronger food systems, and more resilient economies. Kenya's geothermal resources provide a strong foundation for renewable electricity, while its ambitions in manufacturing, agriculture, and digital services create opportunities for economic growth.

COP29 established the ambition to scale climate finance for developing countries to at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, while COP30 carried that ambition forward through the Baku-to-Belém process. The UAE brings experience in developing renewable energy, financing infrastructure, and applying technology to challenging environments, making it a valuable partner for Kenya. Dubai-based AMEA Power has been pursuing geothermal development at Paka, working through the processes needed to establish a viable power project.

Kenya's wider geothermal pipeline, including the phased development envisaged at Suswa, illustrates the scale of the opportunity for investors with the expertise and appetite to support long-term energy infrastructure. Reliable geothermal power could support industrial parks, processing facilities, and digital infrastructure, giving Kenya a stronger platform for investment and employment. Emirati participation can help connect these opportunities, bringing energy development into a broader conversation about economic transformation.

The digital sector offers an example of this ambition, with Microsoft and Abu Dhabi-based G42 announcing an initiative in 2024 that included a planned geothermal-powered data centre at Olkaria. The proposal highlighted the potential to combine Kenya's renewable resources with international expertise in cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Delivering such infrastructure requires sufficient power and workable commercial arrangements, but the underlying opportunity remains compelling.

Agriculture provides another important dimension to the partnership, with Al Dahra's February 2025 memorandum of understanding envisaging investment of up to $800 million over a decade in irrigated farming at Galana-Kulalu. Alongside capital, the company brings experience in arid-climate farming and water management that could support Kenya's food-security ambitions. If developed with sustainable water use and benefits for surrounding communities, this cooperation could strengthen agricultural production and create employment.

These initiatives are at different stages, and their announced values should not be confused with investment already delivered. However, they provide a substantive foundation for cooperation, and the task now is to help viable projects advance through feasibility studies, approvals, and financing into construction and operation. COP31 offers an opportunity to accelerate this process by identifying a focused pipeline of priority projects with clear sponsors, financing requirements, and delivery milestones.

The UAE and Kenya could build on their existing cooperation by matching instruments to specific barriers, helping to turn political commitment into commercially workable projects while keeping public obligations transparent. Commercial viability and development impact should reinforce each other, with investors needing a reasonable return and Kenya needing affordable services, employment, and stronger productive capacity. The $1.3 trillion ambition will acquire meaning through projects that reach financial close, begin construction, and deliver services people can use.

Key points

• The UAE and Kenya are partnering to turn climate ambition into bankable projects, focusing on renewable energy, food security, and technology.
• The partnership aims to translate climate commitments into reliable electricity, stronger food systems, and more resilient economies.
• COP31 offers an opportunity to accelerate the process of turning viable projects into reality.