Business News
Kenya invites experts to boost trade
Trade PS Cyrus Njiru (centre), addresses a workshop for government trade officers and marketing agencies conducted by the International Trade Centre on Monday at a Nairobi hotel. With him are Mr Michael Freudenberg (left), ITC senior researcher, and Export Promotion Council CEO, Matanda Wabuyele. Photo/ANTHONY KAMAU
Posted Monday, February 23 2009 at 19:07
Kenya exports only 10 products to the US under the African Growth And Opportunity Act, while the agreement gives it a 6,700 products market access quota.
This makes the country very vulnerable to market fluctuation and shocks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Dr Cyrus Njiru, disclosed on Monday.
Opening a four-day market research and analysis workshop for government trade officers, and public and private marketing agencies involved in exports, the PS said Kenya has a huge trade deficit, standing at $4.9 billion in 2007, up from $1.1billion in 2002.
This has been attributed to the export of raw materials as opposed to value added and finished end products. In order to reverse this trend, the government has invited facilitators from the International Trade Centre, a UN arm, to train and share best practices as regards exports.
Tap opportunities
This new approach involves identifying potential export commodities and how they can be developed to target specific markets. Through this, the country hopes to tap numerous market opportunities across the globe.
“Due to the government’s pursuit of market access strategies, the economy had recorded a 5.7 per cent GDP growth in 2005, 6.4 per cent in 2006 and 7 per cent in 2007,” said the PS.
He said value addition would be the key driver to the Kenya’s future exports adding that tea exports to emerging markets such as Russia had increased over the last three years.
42 participants from private sector agencies such as the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, the Export Promotion Council, the Kenya Flower Council among others are in the workshop.
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I lend my support to you kenyamoja99. It appears that Kenyan leaders dont get this logic. Which film maker will come to Kenya to be stuck in jam for endless hours while they should be doing their job. We are losing 70b a year via this jams! All hundreds of thousands of primary school dropouts end up in crime and expanding slums! We have to build secondary schools. Tz are getting this logic and will pass us by as we get bogged down in endless impunity and corruption!
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The government is very good at hosting seminars, making plans(vision 2030) but when asked to solve todays problems they turn a blind eye....
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Remove corruption and build infrastructure to improve trade, its simple no need for experts. Heck even film makers are avoiding our beautiful scenery because of all the hurdles involved, from exhorbitant fees to having their equipment overtaxed to extortion from all corners. Who would want to invest in kenya? All we need are leaders with visions and integrity, cub corruption and infrastructure will develop, crime will fall down and the civil servants and police will offer a swift and efficient service. Then leave the rest to Adam Smiths invisible hand. Sio seminars and experts!
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