Lorem, ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Consequatur magnam molestias recusandae odit voluptate beatae dignissimos est nesciunt vitae repellendus a aliquid
KEPSA
7th Floor, South Tower, Two Rivers, Limuru Rd, Nairobi.
info@kepsa.or.ke
KEPSA led by the Vice Chair, Ms Brenda Mbathi and the Deputy CEO, Mr Victor Ogalo, on 17th August 2023, had a meeting with the CUTS International, led by the Secretary-General, Mr Pradeep Mehta, at the KEPSA Offices. The meeting sought to explore opportunities for collaboration between KEPSA and CUTS International in various areas. Also present at the meeting were; Mr Sajeev Nair and Mr Daniel Asher from CUTS International and Mr Jeremiah Kiplagat from KEPSA.
The discussion revolved around KEPSA’s overview, company preparedness, competitiveness, sector-specific benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the establishment of an Indian Chamber of Commerce, climate change, green energy and the role of Business Membership Organisations (BMOs) in promoting collaboration.
Ms Mbathi provided insights into KEPSA as an umbrella business association, its structure and its role in coordinating various chambers of commerce and industry associations.
The meeting emphasized the importance of companies being prepared for the opportunities and challenges presented by the AfCFTA and discussed strategies for enhancing competitiveness on a sector-specific basis. These sectors included but not limited to tourism, services, education, SMEs and health.
The idea of the establishment of an Indian Chamber of Commerce centered on the urgent need of the chamber and explored how KEPSA could facilitate its establishment, and with its inception enhance collaboration.
Throughout the conversation, challenges such as visa requirements, logistics, infrastructure and legal compliance cropped up. Opportunities for collaboration, capacity building and resource sharing were also highlighted, with further priority areas, including exploring opportunities within the 12 value chains for potential collaboration.
As a way forward, KEPSA and CUTS International will work on a joint proposal for AfCFTA, focusing on services and private sector preparedness, a legal scan of the East African Community (EAC) will be conducted to inform collaboration strategies and development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining the terms and scope of collaboration between KEPSA and CUTS International, which is underway.