Govt keen on exploiting African markets- Amina Mohamed

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed (left) confers with Kepsa's Vimal Shah (right) during a breakfast meeting at Hotel Intercontinental, Nairobi July 24, 2013. She said the government was keen on exploiting African markets. WILLIAM OERI

The government has begun a new push to strengthen its relationship with African countries in a bid to widen trade markets.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said Wednesday the government wants to boost its share beyond the East Africa Community (EAC) and Comesa trade markets.

"We have the potential to export goods to African countries and thus the reason for building strong relationships," said Mrs Mohammed during a breakfast meeting with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) at the Hotel Intercontinental, Nairobi.

"Economic diplomacy in Africa is mandatory."

The Ministry has therefore embarked on rigorous market campaigns to deepen international trade and market access for Kenyan goods in non-infiltrated areas.

“Since the ministry has presence in 54 countries worldwide, we are working on deploying envoys in non-reached countries that have potential market for Kenyan goods," Mrs Mohamed said.

She stated that the ambassadors and high commissioners will be placed on performance contracts to evaluate their success in mobilising international trade.

Mrs Mohamed noted that economic diplomacy worldwide was key to boosting Kenya’s trade.

“Plans are underway to create proper service lines cutting across all directions in trade and foreign affairs beyond Africa," she said.

“We have already reached out to Japan, Geneva and India”.

Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho said that top of the ministry’s agenda was the completion of the Kenyan diaspora policy paper.

“The paper would go a long way in creating opportunities for Kenyans in diaspora who are locked out of investment opportunities," Eng Kibicho said.

Some of the issues the paper will tackle are curbing high cost of diaspora remittance fee, improving consular services to address diaspora issues, using Kenyan diaspora to promote tourism and tapping into diaspora talent to reverse brain drain.