Principal Secretary (PS) for Industry, Dr Juma Mukhwana, has urged Kenyans to embrace manufacturing as a way of growing the economy and bringing down the cost of living.
Dr Mukhwana, who presided over the opening of the Next Frontier Africa 2025 Summit, noted that Africa's industrialization was only possible if Kenyans took advantage of the vast market opportunities to produce for export.
Citing trade agreements that Kenya had recently signed with the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the African Free Trade Area, among others, the PS said that Kenya had half of the World's market to trade in quotas and duty-free.
The PS regretted that Kenya only took advantage of one per cent of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) partnership that is ending in September, calling on Kenya to tap more in the next agreement under negotiation. "Everyone is looking to Africa for investment, but what is Africa doing to attract this investment?" It is only fair that we leverage such forums to pool resources and grow investments for the prosperity of the nation.
