Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attract investors to Konza Technopolis

ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Joe Mucheru, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Amb. Raychelle Omamo (centre) and Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) CEO, Eng John Tanui during a visit to Konza Technopolis.

Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb Raychelle Omamo has said her ministry will work closely with the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) to attract investors and investment into the project.

“We are here to project the innovative potential of our country to let the world know and ensure those who come, come with believable, bankable projects early; Our hope is that Kenya will continue to grow as a digital destination. Our key role is to showcase the competitiveness of our country and ICT is our competitive edge,” she said.

“As Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we tell the Kenyan story, and the story is a multifaceted one that brings together the dynamic nature of our country, its transformative vision and innovative nature of our people. When we tell the story, we tell it from the heart,” she added.

Information Communication and Technology, Innovation and Youth Affairs counterpart, Joe Mucheru said partners and organizations are gearing to set up at the Technopolis.

“We have different partners and organizations which are coming to put up their facilities. They include universities, hospitals and organizations providing accommodation. They are progressing although there have been delays owing to the COVID-19,” said Mucheru.

He said horizontal infrastructure development was currently on-going at the Technopolis.

“Konza Technopolis presents numerous opportunities for the youth in the country who constitute 75 per cent of the population,” said the CS.  “Konza is a Government project requiring support of every Government ministry in order for it to succeed.”

Also present during the visit were Oracle Kenya Managing Director, David Bunei, Microsoft Kenya CEO, Kendi Ntwiga-Nderitu and Huawei Kenya CEO, Will Meng.

The CS encouraged the technology partners to discuss how Konza can work with global leading tech firms as partners to serve Konza Technopolis enterprises, residences and users of the Konza National Data Center with services required as a package.

The CSs and the other guests planted trees at Konza to mark the World Green Building Week which kicked off on Monday, September 21, 2020.

CS Mucheru reiterated that tree planting was in line with the government’s greening agenda.

The Constitution of Kenya under Article 69, section 1(b)) indicates that, the State shall work to achieve and maintain a tree cover of at least 10 per cent of the land area of Kenya. Currently, the country is at 7.6 per cent forest cover, making it one of the least forested countries on the continent.

To bridge this gap, the government launched a tree growing programme titled the ‘Greening Kenya campaign’, by the Ministries of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government, Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs, as well as the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

KoTDA also held a Webinar themed Green Infrastructure and Urban Greening for Sustainable Cities in conjunction with Kenya Green Building Society (KGBS).

This year’s theme of the World Green Building Week is ‘Act on Climate,’ which is calling on the building sector, policymakers and governments to take urgent action to deliver net zero buildings.