KENYA LAUDS UNIDO ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE THIRD INDUSTRAIL DEVELOPMENT DECADE FOR AFRICA

Kenya has expressed satisfaction by the progress made in the implementation of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III). 
This was contained in a statement presented by the Principal Secretary for Industry Dr. Juma Mukhwana and deliberated before the 39th session of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Program and budget committee yesterday.
Dr. Mukhwana noted that, in 2022, more than 250 projects, with a total value of US$63.3million, excluding interregional and global portfolios, were under implementation in Africa, under the wider framework of IDDA III, including within the Programme for Country Partnerships (PCPs) and Country Programmes (CPs).
He pointed out that a tangible manifestation of IDDA III is the Kenya Self-Starter Programme for   Country Partnership. 
Dr. Mukhwana said that this initiative, which was signed and launched with UNIDO in September 2021, has commenced, with the Kenya Government taking proactive steps in resource mobilization to ensure its operationalization. “We are making progress with the implementation of the Self-Starter PCP anchor project, the Integrated Agro-Industrial Park (IAIP) project in Nyamira County”, said the PS. 
“Further, along these lines, we have been able to conduct an Industrial Study Tour on Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks in Ethiopia and the key learnings from the tour are being incorporated into the Self-Starter PCP” he added.
The PS emphasized that beyond the IAIP, the Kenya Government has demonstrated its commitment to inclusivity and economic development by allocating substantial financial resources for the establishment of County Aggregation and Industrial Parks across all its 47 counties.
He affirmed that this initiative is aimed at enhancing farmer incomes and ensure that all devolved Counties participate actively in the national industrialization agenda.
“Our industrialization drive also extends to targeted Agro-Value-Chain development, establishment of Special Economic Zones, and digitization”, said he.
Dr, Mukhwana invited UNIDO and all development partners, including private sector investors, to join Kenya in actualizing its ambitious industrialization agenda.
Based on the lessons gleaned from Kenya’s experiences, Dr. Mukhwana called on UNIDO to expand the PCP and the CP initiatives to other African countries, upon their request, to ensure widespread inclusive and sustainable development across the continent.
He encouraged UNIDO to endeavor to align the deliverables of IDDA III with those of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – and stressed the important role that a fully established and functional IDDA III Secretariat will play in the full implementation of the IDDA III aspirations, including those related to the AfCFTA.
ENDS