The Budget and Appropriation Committee wants Kenya to conduct a study on key existing and potential export markets, to drive growth of the sector. The State Department for Trade has been tasked to undertake the survey, which will also look into the need to establish trade offices or logistical centres in various regional economic blocks and countries with bilateral relationship with Kenya. This is in order to focus on international export opportunities that match Kenya's current and potential business capability, the MPs say, noting the country's exports fall way below the potential. “The study should be completed by December 31,” the  committee led by Kieni MP Kanini Kega has said. Kenya's export quality has largely remained unchanged with the country exporting most raw , primary products as opposed to manufactured goods, the committee has further observed. “Our export volumes have remained below potential mainly due to failure to meet the market phytosanitary requirements and quality standards. The country is also underrepresented in terms of trade representative offices in key existing and potential export markets,” the Mps have noted in their report on the 2021/2022 financial year budget. While the National Treasury has proposed to post 22 trade attaches in various missions abroad, the the number is not enough, the committee has noted. To facilitate the expansion of exports and growth, the Mps wants an export management office (EMO) established, which will have representation from all agencies that deal with the entire export value chain of Kenyan products. This will be led by among others,...

IT IS encouraging to note that last year, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) recorded investments worth US$5.8 billion from 326 registered projects. This represents a 19.7 percent increase from the US$4.8 billion investments recorded from 350 in 2019. In the same vein, over US$2.1 billion investment was last year actualised from the multi-facility economic zones and industrial parks, creating over 16,000 jobs in the country. The actualised investment increased from US$1.9 billion recorded in 2019, increasing the number of jobs created in the MFEZ to 16,676 compared to 14,775 in the previous year. ZDA board chairperson David Masupa noted, and rightly so, that the surge in investments confirms the conducive business and investment climate created by Government through ease of doing business reforms, political and economic stability. It is also encouraging to note that of the total registered investments last year, over US$3.1 billion was foreign direct investment, while US$2.68 billion was domestic direct investment. This shows that Government is not only creating a conducive environment for foreigners, but locals as well. It is also good that locals are also actively taking part in the country’s economic activities as opposed to the past when investment ventures were solely left to foreigners. This shows that our country’s development agenda is on a positive trajectory. We know that local involvement in economic activities is key to development. It has been established that involvement of locals in investment ventures ensures that the money generated remains within the country. However, in the case where...

Kenya National Chamber of Commerce Industry (KNCCI) Chief Operating Officer Patrick Nyangweso speaking in Hola said their submissions to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Budget focused on SMEs and how they will rebound into economic prosperity. To ensure cash flow in the economy, Nyangweso said the government must also curb corruption as the country prepares to go for a general election next year. “We want to see a country where SMEs, which has employed more than 14 million Kenyans to bounce back to the economy despite the effects of Covid-19, we want to see the government supporting enterprises and to address issues of employment,’’ said Nyangweso. Get breaking news on your Mobile as-it-happens. SMS ‘NEWS’ to 20153 He added that the budget, which will be read Thursday in parliament by CS National Treasury and Planning Ukur Yattani to reduce the cost of living and to balance the cost of doing business vis-à-vis the ease of doing business to be at equilibrium. Kenya was ranked 56th among 190 economies in the ease of doing business index, according to the 2019 World Bank annual ratings on the ease of doing business. Kenya made an improvement from position 61 in 2018. KNCCI in partnership with the Master Card Foundation is supporting SMEs through a two-month revolving loan of between Sh20, 000 and 30, 000. The Covid-19 recovery and resilience program wants to ensure business continuity and sustainability. Read original article

The continent’s research and innovation ecosystems need effective private sector engagement, argues Salome M. Guchu African economies are coming under increasing socioeconomic pressure due to diminishing resources, changing demographic trends, rising demand for goods and services, and emerging sustainability and security concerns. To address these challenges, many African governments are exploring research and innovation as an engine for stimulating growth in line with Sustainable Development Goal 9, which underscores the importance of fostering innovation and investment in R&D. However, in most African nations, research and innovation initiatives are implemented in a fragmented manner, without effectively engaging and encouraging private sector involvement. In Kenya, for instance, there is still a major gap in effective engagement and encouragement of the private sector’s role in the research and innovation ecosystem. Duplication of initiatives In the past 10 years, Kenya’s research and innovation policy, legislative and institutional arena has undergone significant transformation. There are several ongoing initiatives focusing on researchers, innovators and start-ups, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, the implementation of most of these initiatives has not reflected effective connectedness among all players. For instance, private sector engagement is very limited, with most initiatives primarily focusing on universities and research institutions, while others have a separate focus on startups and SMEs. It’s not uncommon for these initiatives to duplicate each other as they are implemented by different entities. For instance, imagine that a bank enters into a partnership with a university to implement a competitive programme to support technopreneurs through...

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 10th June, 2021: EAC Partner States have been called upon to exploit the huge potential for export of raw cotton to the world market. Kenya's Principal Secretary for EAC, Dr. Kevit Desai, said that the region produces 100,000 metric tonnes of cotton compared to an existing export potential of 400,000 metric tonnes. Dr. Desai said that EAC exports to the world market currently stands at 8% adding that to increase the volume of exports, value chains such as textiles need to be promoted to boost exports. 'We need to harness science, technology and innovation to boost exports by investing in greater capacity to produce leather and textiles, and turn a crop like pyrethrum into aerosols,' said the PS. Dr. Desai said that increased investment in the leather and textile sectors would cater for the growing demand in the region for locally manufactured high quality clothes and leather products. Dr. Desai, who is also the Chairperson of the Coordination Committee that brings together Permanent/Principal/Under Secretaries for EAC Affairs in the Partner States, was addressing the media at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha. The PS is in Arusha to attend the 31st Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers of EAC Affairs and Planning. The PS disclosed that intra-EAC trade currently stands at 15%, which he described as being very low compared to other regional economic communities like the EU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). 'It is encouraging that a confederation for the agricultural sector has already...

Ministers of Health in the East African Community (EAC) will discuss technology solutions in healthcare delivery virtually. The two-day regional E-Health and Telemedicine workshop, Ministerial Session and Virtual Exhibition was initially scheduled to take place in a Hybrid format in Kampala on 16-17 June 2021, with both physical and virtual participation. It is organised by the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO). Commenting on the shift to a fully virtual from the Hybrid meeting planned, Mr Fortunate Muyambi, EASTECO’s Executive Secretary, said: “The National Organising Committee (NOC) in Uganda has been working extremely hard to deliver this event, and we are pleased that technology will allow us to proceed with the deliberations.” The NOC has representatives from Ugandan ministries and institutions including, the National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U); Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Health, Private Sector Foundation, Uganda National Council for Science and Technology and the National Council for Higher Education. The now fully virtual conference will bring together academicians, researchers, technologists, developers and government decision makers to present and discuss existing and new digital technologies for enhancing healthcare in East Africa. The event will provide an opportunity to share national, regional and global experience in E-health and telemedicine programmes and solutions as well as biomedical engineering. It will provide participants with insights into policy and regulatory systems, infrastructure and technologies, and efficient partnerships to improve healthcare delivery. The Conference will be graced with opening remarks from Health ministers from 6 EAC Partner States, Secretary-General of...

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – The East African Community (EAC) bloc has appealed to the EU to lift sanctions on Burundi because the country is ready to move forward. In a statement late Wednesday, EAC Secretary General Peter Mathuki said the sanctions were hurting Burundians as well as the people of the entire East African region. “I am appealing to the EU that we work together and open a new page for the betterment of the people of the Republic of Burundi,” Mathuki said during talks with an EU delegation to Tanzania, aimed to enhance the EU’s support to the integration process in East Africa. The EAC bloc brings together Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan. The EU imposed sanctions on Burundi in 2015 at the height of the political crisis in the country following late President Pierre Nkurunziza's extension of tenure, which triggered protests. The EAC secretary general shared different areas of integration priorities, seeking support from the EU programing 2021-2027. These include increasing space for the private sector in the EAC integration, enhancing regional governance institutional capabilities in peace-building taking into account the inclusive, accountable and democratic governance of the region, as well as strengthening regional coordination, preparedness and response to epidemics, including COVID-19, and public health emergencies. Manfredo Fanti, the head of the EU delegation to Tanzania, assured of the union's commitment to work closely with the East African bloc. Read original article

Thrust five years into the future by Covid-19, as management firm McKinsey puts it, most of what we expected to see in 2030 will soon be upon us. A disruption in the workplace in 2020 changed the fortunes of millions, either throwing them out of their jobs or elevating their profiles. Most of those who had an upturn in fortunes were in technology and automation. The World Economic Forum (WEF) late last year released a list of jobs that, it said, will be marketable in the future - which we might already be in - and those that will be obsolete because of automation. It is not surprising from the data that technology will be taking over a significant number of jobs. It was certain the world was always inching closer to this by the day. The world is welcoming artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics on an unprecedented scale and the Internet of Things (IoT) is now common talk. The need to cut overheads and reduce office population amid the pandemic prompted industry leaders to find ways of using automated systems to deliver, with many people losing their jobs. “The past two years have seen a clear acceleration in the adoption of new technologies among the companies surveyed,” said WEF. “Cloud computing, big data and e-commerce remain high priorities, following a trend established in previous years.” Job loss Sectors such as the arts, entertainment and recreation, hospitality, retail, mining, real estate, rental and leasing saw many employees lose their jobs....

Kenya has matured insofar as investing abroad with local companies emerging a force to reckon with on matters concerning regional investment. On Tuesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta witnessed the issuance of an operation licence to the Safaricom-led consortium to set up a telco in Ethiopia. Over 10 multinational telecommunication companies had initially expressed interest in the bid but it narrowed down to a race between Safaricom and MTN with the Safaricom consortium emerging the winner. Speaking in Ethiopia during the event, President Kenyatta said the entry of Safaricom will transform by positively impacting most sectors like it had done in Kenya. “Today’s ceremony is the first step in an exciting and rewarding opportunity for Ethiopia. Kenya has seen the great gains and opportunities unleashed by Safaricom across the entirety of our socio-economic landscape,” he said. “Ethiopia now stands at the cusp of making even greater strides in Safaricom’s areas of strength which include digital presence, mobile money, telephony, data and fibre connectivity and business solutions,” he added. Safaricom-led Global Partnership for Ethiopia consortium which won the Sh91.8 billion bid is expected to spend Sh864 billion in Ethiopia in the next 10 years. The investment is expected to create jobs for millions of Ethiopian citizens as well as Kenyans. Additionally, it will enhance information technology skills on both sides of the border. Ethiopia has the second largest population in Africa after Nigeria at 112 million, making it a lucrative market highly sought after by investors. Last year, Equity Group Holdings, another homegrown...

Kenya-Ethiopia Government officials met today and commenced Moyale One Stop Border Post (OSBP) operations, raising hopes to bolster trade and cooperation between the two nations Once operationalized, Moyale One-Stop Border Post will be the first of its kind in Ethiopia and the fifth for Kenya with other operational OSBPs being Busia, Malaba, Namanga and Taveta. The Governments with a grant from Africa Development Bank put up the physical infrastructure component, and with funding from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through TradeMark Africa, supported the Integrated Border Management component. The two components are the fundamentals that enable coordinated and efficient OSBP operations 8th June 2021, Moyale: Today marks the start of Moyale Border operating as a One Stop Border Post (OSBP), as the Government border regulatory officials from Kenya and Ethiopia came together to commence operations. This means that, the border regulatory officials clearing traffic, cargo and persons from both Ethiopia and Kenya will now physically relocate and sit side by side on either side of the border, where they will undertake exit and entry formalities in a joint and/or sequenced manner. The officials conducted site visits and inspection of border facilities as part of the OSBP operations commencement process. The move follows the official launch of Moyale OSBP in December 2020, by H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia. This move is a step closer to achieving the goal of exponentially boosting trade between the two neighbouring nations, as...