2023-06-20 11:07:24
(Kenya’s Call for an Integrated Africa for Trade and Investment)
The large hall of the Safari Park hotel in Nairobi served as the setting for the 3rd edition of the forum on investment and trade organized by the Kenyan government with the support and active participation of the General Secretariat of Zlecaf and Afreximbank.
FALCO VIGNON
The African private sector is in search of its brands to better assert itself and integrate in order to positively impact the much sought-after growth. It was important to find a solution to the lack of connectivity between African countries in terms of inter-African trade and investment. The ideal solution, according to the organizers of this conference, is to open Kenya’s door to Africa and to the African private sector with the blessing of ZLECAF and Afreximbank.
Faced with the various crises, including Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine, which have shaken the world in general and Africa in particular, it was appropriate to invite the various private and public investors to a round table to release the forces and energies sources of economic growth. It is to this exercise that the Kenyan agency for the promotion of investment (Kininvest) engaged by mobilizing, under the authority of the Kenyan State, more than 2,000 delegates from different horizons and from all continents from May 29 to 31 in Nairobi. The main objective of this conference, according to the Kenyan Minister of Trade, Mr. Moses KURIA, is to achieve integration of the African private sector and to remove the barriers that annihilate the efforts of the various institutions involved in the implementation of infrastructure. of development. The African private sector has become aware, even if it is with a delay recognized by all, of the low rate of inter-African trade, ie 15.4% against nearly 61% for Europe. It is urgent that courageous and concerted action be taken to connect all of Africa to the Kenyan government’s 2030 vision.
It is no secret that Kenya’s foreign direct investment (FDI) has experienced a drastic decline in recent years, the causes of which are to be found in the various socio-political crises that have shaken the country. The solution found to fill the gaps is to open up completely to Africa to capture African investments and those from other continents who are just waiting for a few facilities to settle in Kenya in the sector of their choice. Among the countries honored and invited to this mass of investment, South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria clearly stand out, which constitute the bridgeheads in terms of mobilization of financing for inter-African projects. Executives from the Kenyan administration, regional financial institutions, through the Kenyan private and public sector, all were mobilized to offer African SMIs and SMEs the opportunities and facilities for an investment without major risks. The pan-African bank Ecobank is closely associated with this conference for the mobilization of the African private sector, which took an active part in this inter-African trade financing meeting.
The relevance and richness of the themes chosen and the quality of the panelists from various continents speak volumes about the real objectives of the organizers of this conference, which broke the record in terms of innovation and diversity of English-speaking, French-speaking, Arabic-speaking, Portuguese speakers etc. The highlight of this high-level meeting on investment in Kenya, is the retreat organized on behalf of nearly 54 African trade ministers for sincere and frank exchanges for the promotion of a strong, rich and prosperous private sector spared of all tariff and non-tariff barriers. It should be noted that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Benin (CCI Benin), faithful to its policy of building and supporting the Benin private sector, took an active part in this conference which offers all participating economic operators, enormous trade and investment opportunities. The Benin CCI, through its two consular officials, actively participated in all the work of the conference, which marks a new start in the dynamics of the promotion of inter-African trade.
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juin 20, 2023
#Growth #sectors #investment #revealed