VP Kalonzo heads for Malaysia summit

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka is leading a Kenyan delegation to a major economic forum in Malaysia meant to foster closer trade links with the continent.

Mr Musyoka’s press secretary Kaplich Barsito told the Nation, Mr Musyoka will represent President Kibaki during the three-day tour.

Mr Barsito said the VP, who leaves the country Friday evening is accompanied by MPs Musikari Kombo, John Mututho, Chachu Ganya and Linah Jebii Kilimo.

During the visit, Mr Barsito said the VP will market Kenya as the best tourist and investment destination.

He will further source for skills to transform Kenya’s agriculture and to promote rapid industrialisation in line with Vision 2030. Kenya has been seeking to emulate the Asian tigers which include Malaysia in its efforts to be a middle-level industrialised country by 2030.

“The VP will also look for investors to help in value addition of Kenya’s exports to be competitive in global market,” Mr Barsito said in Nairobi.

Kenya which is Malaysia’s sixth largest trading partner in Africa after South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Mauritius exports soda ash, marine products, tea, tobacco, lime and cement to the Asian country.

Kenya also signed an MOU on science and technology in planning and implementing of road projects in 2007.

Currently, the two countries are considering an MOU in education, trade, tourism and Information, Communications and Technology transfers.

Other areas of partnership between the tow countries are in manufacturing and small and medium enterprises.

The forum which starts on Sunday will discuss economic transformation programme based on transitioning from agriculture to agribusiness and will be hosted by the country’s prime minister.

Dubbed the Langkawi International Dialogue  International Dialogue, it is part of the Commonwealth partnership for technological management (CPTM) aimed at promoting public private sector partnership which was first proposed during the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Summit in Cyprus in 1993 and launched in New Zealand in 1995.

CPTM is a unique cooperation organ among commonwealth governments, the private sector and professional, labour, media and academics dedicated at promoting technical management for wealth creation and knowledge driven economy.

Malaysia is a newly industrialised export oriented economy, the third biggest in South Asia.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and Tanzania’s Jakaya Kikwete are among regional leaders that have confirmed participation in the forum.

Controversial Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will also be among African leaders descending on Malaysia this weekend.

The 87-year-old Mugabe, who is banned from travelling to the European Union over his regime’s human rights record is among the leaders and representatives from 20 countries expected in Kuala Lumpur.

Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur, had initially agreed to attend the gathering but pulled out amid opposition to his presence from rights group Amnesty International.

The conference is the brainchild of ex-Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who was in Kenya in 2007 for signing of science partnership.

Despite Africa’s problems, many reckon it to be a good bet for growth, with the International Monetary Fund expecting it to expand faster than the global average in the coming years. Six of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies were on the continent last year.

Around 500 delegates from countries including Lesotho, Gambia, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Namibia will be welcomed by Prime Minister Najib Razak on Sunday when he kicks off proceedings at the 14th forum, the ninth to be held in Malaysia.