The Kenya Industrialization Conference, aimed at revitalizing the nation’s industrial sector, commenced on Monday, November 20, 2023, in Nairobi.
The three-day event brought together experts from academia, industry, and development partners and coincided with Africa Industrialization Day, as declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. Its objective is to strengthen Kenya’s industrial agenda.
Rebecca Miano, the cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, underscored the expo’s significance, highlighting its feature of over 100 exhibitors showcasing advanced industrial machines tailored for processing Kenya’s abundant natural resources. Miano expressed the goal of countering the decline in the manufacturing sector, citing statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics that showed a decrease from 8.4% of the GDP in 2018 to 7.8% in 2022.
Lynette Luvai, the deputy representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to Kenya, emphasized the pivotal role of industrialization in fostering economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and overall societal advancement.
Juma Mukhwana, the principal secretary in the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, drew attention to the persistent challenges faced by African countries in achieving significant manufactured value added to GDP. Despite industrialization being a prominent campaign promise across the continent, Mukhwana noted that the performance in this regard has been disappointing.
The conference sets the stage for a collaborative effort to propel Kenya’s industrial sector forward, addressing key issues and exploring innovative solutions. Kenya is poised to benefit from boosted incomes, generated job prospects, improved value-added activities, and a broadened economic base. As the nation strives to reverse the decline in manufacturing, the conference serves as a crucial platform for dialogue and partnership among stakeholders committed to advancing industrialization for sustainable economic development.
