Kenya has revealed ongoing discussions with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to extend its Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to Uganda and South Sudan. ・Kenya is in talks with the UAE to extend its Standard Gauge Railway to Uganda and South Sudan.

"We are exploring a partnership agreement with the United Arab Emirates to extend the Standard Gauge Railway to connect Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan," Ruto said on X late on Tuesday,

Kenya is in discussions with the UAE to secure financial support the extend the 592km Nairobi - Naivasha standard-gauge railway to the border with Uganda.

The cash from the oil-rich emirate would boost Kenya’s foreign-currency reserves and further buttress the shilling.

Kenya is negotiating with the UAE to finance the completion of a regional railway after China halted funding. This railway, part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, stopped in 2019 short of Uganda's border.

Kenya has started discussions with the United Arab Emirates to secure financing to complete a regional railway, President William Ruto said, after China cut infrastructure funding to the project.

The railway connecting the Kenyan port of Mombasa with landlocked neighbours, as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, ended in the Rift Valley in 2019, 468 kilometres (290 miles) short of the border with Uganda, after Beijing withdrew support.