A new era likely to dawn as East meets West

In 2015, Kenya received a number of prominent visitors, the highpoint being Barack Obama’s July visit and the November visit of Pope Francis.

The year ended on a high note with the 10th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation culminating in the “Nairobi Declaration”.

This year already promises to be eventful too, with the forthcoming Fourteenth Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) and the Sixth Summit of the Tokyo International Conference of African Development (Ticad).

Curtain-raising yet another year of high visibility events is the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and President Abdel Fattah el Sisi of Egypt.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has also committed to coming and President Modi of India may well be in Nairobi soon. These visits and events affirm Kenya’s place as a strategic geo-political development partner that cannot be ignored.

The fact that this will be President Buhari’s first state visit since he was sworn in is especially significant and, indeed, a pointer to the importance both President Uhuru Kenyatta and Buhari place on the need to forge mutually beneficial ties between Kenya and Nigeria.

PRIVATE SECTOR DELEGATION

I was privileged to be part of the private sector delegation that accompanied President Uhuru Kenyatta to Abuja in 2014 during which a number of opportunities were identified. Plenty has changed in Nigeria since.

Most notable is the dramatic turn in leadership style and priorities. In 2014, Nigeria overtook South Africa as the largest economy in terms of GDP in Africa and was ranked the 26th  largest economy in the world. With a population of close to 200 million, Nigeria is Africa’s largest mobile telephony market, leading exporter of oil and the dominant trailblazer in the music and film sectors in Africa.

President Buhari has inherited a country with a staggering national debt that is further complicated by unprecedented global decline in oil prices. In May 2014, a barrel of oil was $109, but today, oil is in the region of $28 dollars a barrel.

This turn of events is no doubt devastating for the economy. It challenges Nigeria to embrace a more diversified economy.

Kenya, on the other hand, has had a diversified economy for several decades. In spite of security challenges, it remains a preferred tourist destination while its technology and financial innovations have won world acclaim.

Low oil prices notwithstanding, Kenya has much to reflect upon from Nigeria in terms of oil exploration. Both nations have much to gain from a strong west/east relationship and whilst it may appear dire for Nigeria, my own belief is that Nigerians are resilient, naturally assertive and entrepreneurially gifted people who will not only survive but also thrive.

BUY FLOWERS

During my visit to Lagos, I asked my guide to take me to a shop to buy flowers. He took me to a supermarket and led me to the section selling plastic flowers.

When I explained that I was looking for fresh flowers he seemed rather perplexed, for this luxury Nairobians know to be readily available is a near novelty in Lagos. Now, right there lies an opportunity for Kenyans in the horticulture sector. Kenya can also provide an alternative tourism destination for Nigeria and vice versa.  

President Buhari and President Kenyatta are, in their own right, inspirational leaders who embody the quest of good governance in catalysing socio-economic progress.

Both presidents are battling with perceptions of corruption whose mutations portend economic catastrophes, if left unchecked any longer.  Amid this dreary backdrop, both Presidents have shown the resolve to confront this niggling vice. 

On the global front, both President Buhari and President Kenyatta have taken decisive actions in dealing with Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab, respectively.

For President Buhari, himself a military man, one can only imagine the frustration of having a military that, given caprice of inherited corruption, lacks requisite training and equipment to stamp out the infiltration of Boko Haram. 

Just days ago, our very own defence forces were attacked by Al-Shabaab inside Somalia. As novelist Chimamanda Adichie says, “There’s a danger in a single story”. For too long we have heard of East Africa and West Africa both as single stories.

The ongoing engagement with our brothers and sisters from the west is breaking down some of these stereotypes previously invoked to keep east and west apart. 

 President Buhari, karibu Kenya!

The writer is on the board of trustees of the pan-African marketing movement, Brand Africa, and founder and CEO at Gina Din Corporate Communications