Kenya will expand trade ties with the United Arab Emirates, the State House Kenya tweeted early Saturday.

"The two nations have agreed to fast-track trade agreements and set up a joint panel to explore investment partnerships in oil and gas, technology transfer, agriculture, healthcare as well as development of Special Economic Zones", the state house said in a tweet.

The United Arab Emirates and Kenya agreed to launch talks on a comprehensive economic partnership this year, which would be the first of its kind between the Gulf Arab state and an African country, UAE's state news agency WAM had reported.

(Reporting by Shubhendu Deshmukh in Bengaluru; Editing by Lincoln Feast)