On 16^th August 2023, KEPSA held an engagement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in a meeting that aimed at exploring strategic areas of partnership to address Kenya's economic and developmental challenges.

The KEPSA team was led by Eng. James Mwangi – KEPSA Director, Energy & Professional Services, and Mr Victor Ogalo – KEPSA Deputy CEO while the UNDP was led by Mr Bheki Bhembe - UNDP Economic Advisor. Mr Bhembe was accompanied by Mr Julius Coredo and Mr Benson Kimani.  Also present included Ms Agatha Juma – Head of KEPSA Public-Private Dialogue (PPD), Mr Emmanuel Ochieng – KEPSA PPD Officer, Mr David Ndwiga - Policy Research and Analysis (PRA) Officer and Mr Jeremiah Kiplagat - PRA Assistant.

Eng. Mwangi, chaired the meeting and initiated discussions by urging an assessment of the alignment between the new private sector manifesto and the Medium-Term Plan IV (MTPIV). He emphasized the importance of conducting identity visibility studies and securing project approvals to ensure projects remain free from political influences. Eng. Mwangi also highlighted the existence of a gap in projects supported by the World Bank.

On his part, Mr Ogalo provided historical context regarding KEPSA's establishment and operations. He highlighted the organization's contribution to enhancing Kenya's ease of doing business and its macroeconomic impact. The KEPSA Deputy CEO also addressed the challenges posed by global shocks to Kenya's business competitiveness and elaborated on KEPSA's collaborations with the Kenyan government on economic development. His sentiments were echoed by Ms Agatha Juma while emphasizing devolution. Ms Juma highlighted the need to involve the youth in conversations that address policy issues, particularly those related to devolution.

The UNDP team highlighted the organization's nationwide convening power, Integrated Financing Strategy, and SDG Investment Map. A comparison between Kenyan and South African ports was provided, and proposals for areas of the partnership were outlined, including conducting a critical analysis of MTP IV after its launch, exploring social investments, mortgage rate assessments, evaluating the impact of local and global factors on the private sector, assessing the effectiveness of devolution, and enhancing Kenya's global competitiveness.  

The meeting also featured talks of enhancing the partnership between KEPSA and UNDP through various avenues including the existing MOU between the two organisations. The meeting went on to deliberate on the Green Business Agenda and support for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The importance of reflecting on the MOU's collaboration and identifying new areas of focus was emphasized. The significance of creating policies that benefit Kenyans and investors was also highlighted.

Some of the outcomes of the meeting included;

• Full implementation of the KEPSA-UNDP MOU
• Organization of a National Economic Forum to assess Kenya's economic outlook up to 2030
• Development of a white paper focusing on export-oriented strategies
• Spotlighting a project aligned with SDGs
• Formulation of a marketing strategy, particularly a tourism pricing strategy
• Assessment of County competitiveness
• Providing constructive feedback on the forthcoming MTP IV
• Advocating for legislative reviews to enhance the business environment