By FELIX OLICK
President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that the Government plans to develop industrial parks in counties.
The President said the parks would be geared to nurture a robust industrial environment to grow micro, small and medium industries.
“In order to nurture a robust industrial environment, the Government intends to develop special industrial parks and clusters in the counties to grow micro, small and medium industries,” the President said yesterday.
“We are fully aware that the transformation we envisage will require physical infrastructure, human capital, research and development, scientific and technological innovation and entrepreneurship. My Government has put in place programmes, projects and plans to deliver these enablers,” he added.
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Uhuru was speaking during the official opening of the ordinary session of the African Union Conference of African Ministers of Industry at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi.
Present at the continental meeting was Director General UN Industrial Development Organisation Kandeh Yumkella, Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed as well as representatives from most African states.
He congratulated UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for nominating former Trade minister Mukhisa Kituyi as the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
industrial growth
Uhuru said the nomination provides Africa with another opportunity to play a greater role in the global trade arena and urged all AU members and other UN Assembly members to support Dr Kituyi.
He said his Jubilee Government would spearhead an industrial agenda that would build on an enterprising economy with focus on a production-oriented economic growth and a strong manufacturing base.
He regretted that currently, most of Kenya’s exports are still fairly of low-value raw materials as opposed to imports that are manufactured products.
He said according to the World Investment Report 2012, Foreign Direct Investments inflows to Africa are on the decline, standing at $42.7 billion in 2011.
