State inks deal with Dutch on port, trade

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Kipchumba Murkomen. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

A Dutch delegation comprising 17 companies will partner with Kenya in exploring the investment opportunities in port development and the blue economy.

The delegation consists of companies with expertise in port development, dredging, transport and logistics, water engineering, warehousing and distribution.

Addressing the delegation in Nairobi yesterday, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport Kipchumba Murkomen acknowledged the important contribution of the Dutch public and private sectors, to supporting development in Kenya and the East African region.

According to the CS, the trade mission on port development is geared towards making Kenya a regional trading hub in line with the Kenya Kwanza bottom-up economic plan.

"Kenya is open for business to well-positioned companies with strategic objectives of tapping into the growing potential of emerging markets in East and Central Africa,'' he noted. Murkomen assured the delegation that Kenya has the potential to realise its economic goals due to large numbers of young and aggressive youth.

"Kenya is a young country, with a sizeable youth population eager for new ideas, innovations, investments and technology. It has the most educated and skilled population, that speaks largely good English and is well recognised regionally and internationally,'' he said.

Decongesting cities

The investments will be explored in four areas the 17 companies have an interest in, which Kenya believes will enhance connectivity across the country while decongesting cities and urban areas. Murkomen said Kenya is currently working with Uganda to connect the standard gauge railway to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said Jomo Kenyatta International Airport will in future be open to investments through a public-private partnership (PPP) for the expansion of its terminal.

"We continue to invest heavily in improving port handling capacity at Mombasa port and port of Lamu, revamping the lake ports and other smaller sea ports to support the blue economy," the CS stated.

He noted that the government has undertaken several projects to expand the port of Mombasa, one of which is the construction of the second container terminal.