According to Brand Kenya Chief Executive Officer Mary Kimonye, Kenya will reap recognition and open new investment opportunities between the US and Kenya/FILE
According to Brand Kenya Chief Executive Officer Mary Kimonye, Kenya will reap recognition and open new investment opportunities between the US and Kenya.
“A lot of global attention and goodwill is being directed to our country. The kind of trigger for information about Kenya is enormous. It has both short-term benefits and more importantly is what is going to happen in the long term,” she explained.
Kimonye said it will be a perfect platform for the battery of entrepreneurs who will be accompanying President Obama to identify investment opportunities in various sectors.
Some of the opportunities include investments in infrastructure, exports, youth and ICT.
Kimonye further explained that his visit also comes at an important time when Kenya is implementing the Constitution which safeguards human rights – a focal interest of the US.
“When these kinds of events happen they are defining events. Obama is not just any other president.
Obama is the president of the most powerful country in the world, that’s why each one of us should take ownership of this country.”
In her view, Obama’s visit is a signal that the US has recognises efforts being made to make Kenya the gateway to Africa through strengthening local institutions.
She particularly pointed at efforts made to ease processes of local and foreign direct investments.
Being the body charged with marketing Kenya, Kimonye said the government had established an integrated programme comprising various sectors to showcase investment opportunities during the visit that has also attracted local and international investors.
“Kenya is blessed and gifted in very many ways. Our young people will get business partners, people are going to learn from the best; Shark Tanks will be town, heads of IBM, heads of Google, General Electric all are going to be in town. These are influential individuals, the marketing efforts and marketing power that we are going to receive is enormous,” she explained.
According to Kimonye, plans have been made for visitors to explore the tourism industry in different parts of the country.
During the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, there will be a live stream from the Maasai Mara.
“Kenya is incredibly blessed. We are going to tell the entire story of Kenya. We have tour operators who have been vetted and are offering packages. Post the event, people will be visiting out national parks,” she said.
