The Kenyan government is set to host an investment conference later this month to woo Arab investors.Finance Minister

Uhuru Kenyatta said the March 16-17 conference which will bring together key leaders from Arab countries will expose participating financial institutions to investment opportunities available in the country.Kenyatta told journalists in Nairobi that the government would remain open to engage with countries that are willing to work with Kenya on the basis of mutual respect."We are planning to hold the third round table conference with Arab development financial institutions to discuss and agree on a three-year investment program," said Kenyatta who is also the deputy premier.Last week, the East African nation signed an agreement with Iran where Tehran will supply Nairobi with four million me tric tonnes of crude annually.Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Kenya last week, where he with his host, President Mwai Kibaki, also signed a grant and loan agreement totalling 800 million shillings among others." Kenya has always been ready to do business with those who are ready to do business with us," said Kenyatta after signing a 735 million shillings loan agreement with the Kuwait government, through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.The loan agreement is for the upgrading of Wajir District Hospital to a referral hospital to serve North Eastern and Eastern provinces.The loan, covering 60 percent of the upgrade cost, will be repayable over the next 24 years.
   Kenya , like other African countries, has also been keen to increase its trading ties with Japan , China , and India which are seen as more sympathetic to its development cause and whose funding comes with less conditions, especially those touching on human rights and corruption.