Kenyan Businesses Seek Trade Ties with Angola
SUNDAY AUGUST 11 2019
The entrance to Mount Kenya University. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
African integration is the stuff Kenyan diplomats have been told to market lately as the government sees private investors as the biggest pillars in advancing trade links with other countries.
Nairobi and Luanda Are Already Served by Kenya Airways Since 2011, Running Three Flights Every Week.
By AGGREY MUTAMBO
Kenya Daily Nation
Mt Kenya University says it is considering setting up e-campuses in Angola, to tap into growing government-to-government links between Nairobi and Luanda.
At the Kenya-Angola Trade and Investment Conference 2019 last week, Dr Vincent Gaitho, the Vice-Chairman of MKU said the institution wants to ride on recent bilateral policies that have started to open up markets between the two countries.
“There are huge opportunities that remain untapped between the two countries,” he told the Nation after the conference in which some top industry leaders from Kenya and Angola met in Luanda for what they called “intelligence gathering” on markets.
E-LEARNING
Though Dr Gaitho did not specify on timelines, he indicated MKU is discussing with Angolan authorities on the possibility of setting up e-learning centres of physical campuses, as well as language exchange programmes for students from both sides to learn English, Portuguese and Kiswahili.
“Students will be encouraged to break geographical distances and pursue studies in MKU programmes in Angola. Through education, we can interlink Africa and make her competitive in the globalised world.”
African integration is the stuff Kenyan diplomats have been told to market lately as the government sees private investors as the biggest pillars in advancing trade links with other countries.
Kenya’s Ambassador to Angola Josphat Maikara argues Nairobi’s efforts to benefit from the recent Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCTA) could be triggered by how the private investors take up opportunities built through diplomatic relations.
At the Kenya-Angola Trade and Investment Conference 2019, Mr Maikara told a group of Kenyan and Angolan industry chiefs, and government officials from the two sides, that policy changes between the countries can be less useful until investors take up opportunities.
RAW MATERIALS
“Our coffee and tea leave the continent as raw materials to be processed and packaged by global brands before being sold in our supermarket shelves,” he said at a conference in Luanda, Angola, referring to rigid trade barriers that have existed between countries.
“In this process, our people lose jobs, investment opportunities and income while our governments lose taxes. We need to deliberate on how investment potential on the continent can be harnessed.”
The AfCTA is a continental treaty by the African Union. Signed last year, the agreement started operating from June, targeting to boost intracontinental trade from the current 15 per cent to 50 per cent by 2022.
The treaty is seen as a link between the existing regional trading blocs, but requires elimination of tariffs, establishment of local agreements and opening spaces for investments from the private sector.
Now, the official says countries such as Kenya and Angola, through bilateral relations, can turn the tide on low trade by engaging the private sector who may bring in the necessary monies.
“The bilateral instruments that exist will work to the advantage of corporates and our citizens to strengthen key economic growing sectors (in Kenya and Angola).
Specifically, between Angola and Kenya, the recent establishment of resident diplomatic missions in 2015 should fuel ease of doing business.
TECHNOLOGY
“We are here to encourage interaction by the business community. Our two governments will remain on the track to give corporate players all the support they require to smoothen their operations.”
The conference between July 23 and 26 and organised by marketing and events firm Tricarta Advisory, saw some 30 industry officials from organisations in education, agriculture and technology take part in what was billed as “intelligence gathering” on the Angolan market.
The officials from the University of Nairobi, Tangaza University College and St Andrews School, Turi. Others included Ngorongo Tea, Cannan Group, Wavenet, AVL Group, Wotech, and Wintream International.
The trade conference, the organisers said, was a move to benefit from recent bilateral agreements between Luanda and Nairobi to open up business opportunities.
AGREEMENTS
When President Kenyatta toured Luanda in 2014, the two governments signed three agreements: to establish a Joint Commission Cooperation, meant to expand relations; the General Agreement on Economic, Scientific, Cultural and Technical Cooperation and the Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations.
But at the time, none of the countries had resident diplomatic missions in each other’s territories. The nearest Angolan embassy to Kenya, for instance, was in Dar is Salaam, Tanzania which was also accredited to Nairobi. Nairobi ran relations through its mission in Windhoek, Namibia.
Nairobi and Luanda are already served by Kenya Airways since 2011, running three flights every week.
Angola’s national budget is mostly financed by revenues from oil and diamonds, which constitute 90 per cent of all exports. And despite being one of Africa’s fastest growing economies, a World Bank bulletin says its infrastructure is poor.
The entrance to Mount Kenya University. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
African integration is the stuff Kenyan diplomats have been told to market lately as the government sees private investors as the biggest pillars in advancing trade links with other countries.
Nairobi and Luanda Are Already Served by Kenya Airways Since 2011, Running Three Flights Every Week.
Kenya Daily Nation
Mt Kenya University says it is considering setting up e-campuses in Angola, to tap into growing government-to-government links between Nairobi and Luanda.
At the Kenya-Angola Trade and Investment Conference 2019 last week, Dr Vincent Gaitho, the Vice-Chairman of MKU said the institution wants to ride on recent bilateral policies that have started to open up markets between the two countries.
“There are huge opportunities that remain untapped between the two countries,” he told the Nation after the conference in which some top industry leaders from Kenya and Angola met in Luanda for what they called “intelligence gathering” on markets.
E-LEARNING
Though Dr Gaitho did not specify on timelines, he indicated MKU is discussing with Angolan authorities on the possibility of setting up e-learning centres of physical campuses, as well as language exchange programmes for students from both sides to learn English, Portuguese and Kiswahili.
“Students will be encouraged to break geographical distances and pursue studies in MKU programmes in Angola. Through education, we can interlink Africa and make her competitive in the globalised world.”
African integration is the stuff Kenyan diplomats have been told to market lately as the government sees private investors as the biggest pillars in advancing trade links with other countries.
Kenya’s Ambassador to Angola Josphat Maikara argues Nairobi’s efforts to benefit from the recent Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCTA) could be triggered by how the private investors take up opportunities built through diplomatic relations.
At the Kenya-Angola Trade and Investment Conference 2019, Mr Maikara told a group of Kenyan and Angolan industry chiefs, and government officials from the two sides, that policy changes between the countries can be less useful until investors take up opportunities.
RAW MATERIALS
“Our coffee and tea leave the continent as raw materials to be processed and packaged by global brands before being sold in our supermarket shelves,” he said at a conference in Luanda, Angola, referring to rigid trade barriers that have existed between countries.
“In this process, our people lose jobs, investment opportunities and income while our governments lose taxes. We need to deliberate on how investment potential on the continent can be harnessed.”
The AfCTA is a continental treaty by the African Union. Signed last year, the agreement started operating from June, targeting to boost intracontinental trade from the current 15 per cent to 50 per cent by 2022.
The treaty is seen as a link between the existing regional trading blocs, but requires elimination of tariffs, establishment of local agreements and opening spaces for investments from the private sector.
Now, the official says countries such as Kenya and Angola, through bilateral relations, can turn the tide on low trade by engaging the private sector who may bring in the necessary monies.
“The bilateral instruments that exist will work to the advantage of corporates and our citizens to strengthen key economic growing sectors (in Kenya and Angola).
Specifically, between Angola and Kenya, the recent establishment of resident diplomatic missions in 2015 should fuel ease of doing business.
TECHNOLOGY
“We are here to encourage interaction by the business community. Our two governments will remain on the track to give corporate players all the support they require to smoothen their operations.”
The conference between July 23 and 26 and organised by marketing and events firm Tricarta Advisory, saw some 30 industry officials from organisations in education, agriculture and technology take part in what was billed as “intelligence gathering” on the Angolan market.
The officials from the University of Nairobi, Tangaza University College and St Andrews School, Turi. Others included Ngorongo Tea, Cannan Group, Wavenet, AVL Group, Wotech, and Wintream International.
The trade conference, the organisers said, was a move to benefit from recent bilateral agreements between Luanda and Nairobi to open up business opportunities.
AGREEMENTS
When President Kenyatta toured Luanda in 2014, the two governments signed three agreements: to establish a Joint Commission Cooperation, meant to expand relations; the General Agreement on Economic, Scientific, Cultural and Technical Cooperation and the Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations.
But at the time, none of the countries had resident diplomatic missions in each other’s territories. The nearest Angolan embassy to Kenya, for instance, was in Dar is Salaam, Tanzania which was also accredited to Nairobi. Nairobi ran relations through its mission in Windhoek, Namibia.
Nairobi and Luanda are already served by Kenya Airways since 2011, running three flights every week.
Angola’s national budget is mostly financed by revenues from oil and diamonds, which constitute 90 per cent of all exports. And despite being one of Africa’s fastest growing economies, a World Bank bulletin says its infrastructure is poor.
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