Kenya’s Envoy to Botswana upbeat about TICAD VI

Kenya’s high commissioner to Botswana Jean Kimani is confident that next week’s TICAD VI summit in Nairobi, Kenya, will be a “win-win” deal not only for Botswana and Kenya, but also for Africa and Japan.

Kimani told our Online team during a meet and greet meeting at the high commission’s office in Gaborone, that it was all systems go for the high-stakes conference that brings all of Africa with Japan’s Government, the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme and African Union Commission.“We expect business delegations attending the summit to strike deals during the summit, this is a win-win for Africa and Japan,” she said. Japan’s private sector will display its world-class and superior technology for Africa’s investors and businesses to feast its eyes, explore and hopefully adopt.

Over 150 Japanese companies have confirmed their participation in the summit, which is coming to Africa for the first time since inception at the end of the cold war in 1993. “Kenya is very proud to be hosting this summit for the first-time ever in Africa,” she said, adding it’s an opportunity for the east African industrial giant to showcase her tourism and hospitality to the world and open up other sectors for collaboration with the rest of Africa and Japan.

During his recent visit to Botswana, Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta impressed upon the Botswana-Kenya Business Forum that he addressed, the imperative of enhancing intra-Africa trade. Kimani also believes the TICAD VI summit provides Africa a golden opportunity to strengthen trade relations among each other under the aegis of the African Union’s development blueprint, Agenda 2063.

Her Excellency Kimani has already met and discussed the summit and its potential benefits for Botswana with BITC, Business Botswana, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kenya and Botswana are exploring deeper trade cooperation in the areas of mining; tourism; agriculture and agribusiness; air services as well as ICT.

Kenya, says Kimani, is considering selling its tea, coffee and flowers to Botswana as well as working jointly to promote tourism between the two nations.