The 6th Kenya International Industrial Expo (KIIE) has officially started today at the Sarit Expo Centre, Nairobi. The event is a partnership between Afripeak Expo Kenya Limited, Kenya Investment Authority, and Kenya National Chambers of Commerce & Industry.
The three-day event aims at ensuring there’s growth in Kenya’s Manufacturing Sector through Technology. Given that the country has proved to be ideal for local investors to partner with their investors from China as a way of strengthening the economic ties between Kenya and the rest of the world.
The exhibition has attracted over 200 companies internationally and 5000 merchants’ professionals. This comes at a time when the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce has been given a pavilion to show what Kenya can export to China, in order to bridge the disparity between Exports and imports from the country.
Kenya has been exporting 20 times more than what it imports, which has been a challenge to the business community in Kenya. However, through the export stakeholders will be able to balance trade between the two countries.
Speaking during the opening of the event, Ronald Meru the Chair of the Economic Diplomacy Committee and Vice Chair of KNCCI Nairobi Chapter urged Kenyans to grasp the opportunity given by the government of China to focus on various exports such as the service industry, against the norm of traders specializing in the manufacturing sector.
The government has promised to ensure there is an enabling environment for the business community by creating one tax regime. The bottleneck in the tax system has been a major challenge to traders. There will be benchmarking for traders in different sectors such as jua Kali, whereby the government will support them to travel and learn from China.
According to Mr. Gao Wei the -Managing Director of Afripeak Expo Kenya Limited there has been a tremendous growth in participation at the expo. This year’s expo has attracted a lot of investors over 200 compared to last year’s which recorded 118 traders. The exhibition area has also been enlarged. The expo is also used to market Kenyan products to China given that Kenya is the gateway to East Africa.
Local investors have been urged to attend the three-day Expo where they will get the chance to network with investors from China and get exposed to international markets.
The Kenya International Industrial Expo has incorporated General Machinery, Construction Machinery, Hardware and tools, Solar and New (green) Energy products, Auto Parts, Chemical Products, and Medical Equipment. Green energy has attracted 26 companies. Green energy has been prioritized in the expo in order to ensure there is a safe environment
Chair of the Economic Diplomacy Committee and Vice Chair KNCCI Nairobi Chapter Ronald Meru, also noted that Kenya’s National Chamber of Commerce and Industry has opened an office in China, which will enable the Kenyan business community to conduct business in China.
In October – November there will be the Canton fair held in China, Kenyan traders have been urged to reach out to the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry to participate in the exhibition and transact business. Kenya will be seeking to venture into the Chinese market targeting products such as; – Avocados, Mangoes, Coffee, tea, nuts, and mining products among others.