South Korea to help Kenya set up technology institute

Kenya has signed a deal with South Korea for the establishment of a key science and technology centre in the country.

It is among several agreements entered into by the government and South Korea on Tuesday during bilateral talks with the Asian country’s President Park Geun-hye.
During the event, Kenya called for more investments in the country to balance trade between the two nations.

The memorandum of understanding on the centre was signed by Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Konza Technopolis Development Authority chief executive John Tanui for Kenya, and officials of the Export-Import Bank of Korea.

The Asian country will support the full establishment of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

The institute, to be set up in Konza, will be modelled on the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, a public research institution in the Asian country.
Set up in 1971 with the support of the United States, the Korean institute emerged as one of the main pillars behind the country’s rise from poverty.

The Korea Eximbank will provide money to establish the institute expected to cost at least Sh10 billion.

Yesterday, President Uhuru Kenyatta told his South Korean counterpart that Kenya is keen to learn from Seoul as it implements its own Vision 2030.

He said the government will seek support in energy, especially electric power and nuclear energy development, which will go a long way in supporting planned industrial projects.

The Korean Government is training 14 Kenyan students at the Kepco International Nuclear Graduate School, which the President said might be boosted as Kenya looks to venture into nuclear investments.

The two countries also sealed various agreements for cooperation in areas such as trade, investment promotion, education, ICT, sport and culture.

Though trade between the two has been growing steadily, Kenya only gains 10 per cent of the Sh29 billion volume.