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President Mwai Kibaki has asked Kenyan Ambassadors and High Commissioners to develop strategies to market Kenya as a competitive and attractive destination with excellent opportunities and facilities for foreign investors.
Noting that the envoys should promote the country's economic and trade interests, President Kibaki said he expected every mission to apply the performance contracting procedures with clear targets for results.
Said the President, "I expect all our missions to project a positive image and perception of Kenya by giving correct information about the country and its achievements in your regular interactions with governments, media, public and other interested parties in the countries of your accreditation."
President Kibaki was addressing the Ambassadors and High Commissioners when he opened their 14th. conference at the Windsor golf and country club, Nairobi.
The President emphasized that Kenyan missions abroad should change the way they work and be more aggressive in marketing Kenya's economic interests, influencing regional and international affairs and in promoting the country's image abroad.
The Head of State revealed that the government intends to invest 500 billion shillings in flagship projects covering six key sectors that are crucial to raising economic growth rate progressively towards the target of 10 percent per year by twenty twelve.
He said the sectors included tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, financial services and business process outsourcing.
Noting that the investments would begin later this year, President Kibaki said they will cover infrastructure, training and deployment of highly skilled young professionals, irrigation, new seeds and livestock breeds and strengthening of public institutions to deliver the required levels of service.
"The six sectors will offer attractive investment opportunities for international renowned hotel and resort chains, agribusiness, supermarket chains, financial services firms and support of ICT and business processing services from the countries where many of you are accredited," he added.
The President went on to say that the government had developed an ambitious roadmap for economic and social development to the year twenty thirty anchored on three pillars, the economic pillar, the social pillar and the political pillar.
He explained that the economic pillar aims to raise Kenya's growth rate from 6 to 10 percent and maintain it there for twenty years, the social pillar aims at developing a just and cohesive society, while the political pillar is to entrench the practice of issue based, accountable and democratic governance in the country.
President Kibaki pointed out that when the government came into power four and half years ago, it promised to empower Kenyans socially, economically and politically, addingvernment has turned around the economy, providing the country with four years of consistently improving economic performance.
Noting that this was the longest period of sustained economic performance that Kenya has enjoyed in the last three decades, President Kibaki recalled that it began with 2.9 percent in 2003, 5.1 percent in 2004,5.7 percent in 2005 and over 6 percent in 2006.
He observed that economic recovery strategy also recognized the need to emphasize economic diplomacy as a means of securing more economic opportunities as such as markets access abroad and foreign direct investment and expressed satisfaction that the strategy has served the country well with tremendous expansion in regional and international trade.
The President said local communities had been empowered to have a greater say in their development through devolved funds such as the Constituency Development Fund, the local authority transfer fund and other socially oriented funds covering HIV/AIDS, roads and education bursaries where 70 million shillings are disbursed per constituency annually.
"Quality of life in many of our communities continues to show steady improvement. My government has tripled the amount of resources being invested in water development programmes such as building of boreholes, dams and water supply schemes throughout the country, he said.
As a result of these efforts, he added, the face of Kenya has been changed with poverty levels falling by 10 percent between 2001 and 2006 from 56 percent to 46 percent currently.
Said he, "consequently, over 2 million people who were facing absolute poverty are now enjoying a better life. More importantly we have restored confidence and optimism to the average Kenyan."
On the social front, he noted the number of schoolchildren had increased by more than 1.5 million to 7.8 million through free primary education, while the country had just over 1 million children in secondary schools with primary to secondary school transition rate rising to over 60 percent.
He further pointed out that public health institutions now provided free treatment and drugs for all children under five years of age, free drugs for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria with affordable outpatient care at dispensaries and health centers.
President Kibaki said the government now has the necessary confidence and credibility from these achievements to undertake the task of developing a long-term vision that will build on the successes and lessons learned from the economic recovery strategy.
He told the envoys to keep in mind the priorities and imperatives driving Kenya's foreign policy adding for instance that Kenya would continue to play a leading role in the East African Community, the Inter-governmental Authority on Development, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the Great Lakes Region.
"In particular, Kenya would remain committed to the attainment and consolidation of peace, security and stability in Somalia and Southern Sudan," he added.
On the international arena, President Kibaki aid Kenya will be an influential member of African and International bodies adding the country will develop and maintain bilateral relations with nations of strategic importance to its interests in Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.
Also present were the Minister for Foreign Affairs Raphael Tuju, assistant Ministers Moses Wetangula and Kembi Gitura and Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi.
Noting that the envoys should promote the country's economic and trade interests, President Kibaki said he expected every mission to apply the performance contracting procedures with clear targets for results.
Said the President, "I expect all our missions to project a positive image and perception of Kenya by giving correct information about the country and its achievements in your regular interactions with governments, media, public and other interested parties in the countries of your accreditation."
President Kibaki was addressing the Ambassadors and High Commissioners when he opened their 14th. conference at the Windsor golf and country club, Nairobi.
The President emphasized that Kenyan missions abroad should change the way they work and be more aggressive in marketing Kenya's economic interests, influencing regional and international affairs and in promoting the country's image abroad.
The Head of State revealed that the government intends to invest 500 billion shillings in flagship projects covering six key sectors that are crucial to raising economic growth rate progressively towards the target of 10 percent per year by twenty twelve.
He said the sectors included tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, financial services and business process outsourcing.
Noting that the investments would begin later this year, President Kibaki said they will cover infrastructure, training and deployment of highly skilled young professionals, irrigation, new seeds and livestock breeds and strengthening of public institutions to deliver the required levels of service.
"The six sectors will offer attractive investment opportunities for international renowned hotel and resort chains, agribusiness, supermarket chains, financial services firms and support of ICT and business processing services from the countries where many of you are accredited," he added.
The President went on to say that the government had developed an ambitious roadmap for economic and social development to the year twenty thirty anchored on three pillars, the economic pillar, the social pillar and the political pillar.
He explained that the economic pillar aims to raise Kenya's growth rate from 6 to 10 percent and maintain it there for twenty years, the social pillar aims at developing a just and cohesive society, while the political pillar is to entrench the practice of issue based, accountable and democratic governance in the country.
President Kibaki pointed out that when the government came into power four and half years ago, it promised to empower Kenyans socially, economically and politically, addingvernment has turned around the economy, providing the country with four years of consistently improving economic performance.
Noting that this was the longest period of sustained economic performance that Kenya has enjoyed in the last three decades, President Kibaki recalled that it began with 2.9 percent in 2003, 5.1 percent in 2004,5.7 percent in 2005 and over 6 percent in 2006.
He observed that economic recovery strategy also recognized the need to emphasize economic diplomacy as a means of securing more economic opportunities as such as markets access abroad and foreign direct investment and expressed satisfaction that the strategy has served the country well with tremendous expansion in regional and international trade.
The President said local communities had been empowered to have a greater say in their development through devolved funds such as the Constituency Development Fund, the local authority transfer fund and other socially oriented funds covering HIV/AIDS, roads and education bursaries where 70 million shillings are disbursed per constituency annually.
"Quality of life in many of our communities continues to show steady improvement. My government has tripled the amount of resources being invested in water development programmes such as building of boreholes, dams and water supply schemes throughout the country, he said.
As a result of these efforts, he added, the face of Kenya has been changed with poverty levels falling by 10 percent between 2001 and 2006 from 56 percent to 46 percent currently.
Said he, "consequently, over 2 million people who were facing absolute poverty are now enjoying a better life. More importantly we have restored confidence and optimism to the average Kenyan."
On the social front, he noted the number of schoolchildren had increased by more than 1.5 million to 7.8 million through free primary education, while the country had just over 1 million children in secondary schools with primary to secondary school transition rate rising to over 60 percent.
He further pointed out that public health institutions now provided free treatment and drugs for all children under five years of age, free drugs for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria with affordable outpatient care at dispensaries and health centers.
President Kibaki said the government now has the necessary confidence and credibility from these achievements to undertake the task of developing a long-term vision that will build on the successes and lessons learned from the economic recovery strategy.
He told the envoys to keep in mind the priorities and imperatives driving Kenya's foreign policy adding for instance that Kenya would continue to play a leading role in the East African Community, the Inter-governmental Authority on Development, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the Great Lakes Region.
"In particular, Kenya would remain committed to the attainment and consolidation of peace, security and stability in Somalia and Southern Sudan," he added.
On the international arena, President Kibaki aid Kenya will be an influential member of African and International bodies adding the country will develop and maintain bilateral relations with nations of strategic importance to its interests in Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.
Also present were the Minister for Foreign Affairs Raphael Tuju, assistant Ministers Moses Wetangula and Kembi Gitura and Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi.
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