President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta has assured US business executives of his administration’s commitment to removing any hurdle that could impede their operations in Kenya.
Kenyatta said this after the signing of Investment Deals Worth $238 Million in Washington DC, Kenyatta urged US government to facilitate the operations of US businesses Africa saying his is open for business and all we want to do is package our partnership in a way that it is mutually beneficial to you as a private sector and the people of Kenya.
The agreements were signed between US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and Kipeto Wind Energy Company at a close of $232 million deal in financing for the construction and operation of a 100-megawatt grid-connected wind power plant south of Nairobi.
The plant will provide a more reliable source of energy to the national grid and support the US Power Africa Initiative to double the number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa with access to electric power.
Another $ 5 million agreement was signed Twiga Foods and OPIC, a US government agency improve food security and agricultural wages in Kenya.
He wooed more US investors to set shop in Kenya to benefit from the opportunities created by the Big Four development blueprint projects. The Big Four agenda projects pegged on boosting manufacturing to create jobs, food security, provision of affordable housing and universal healthcare coverage.
“Given our long and well-established relationship, we can do more together and I invite the US companies to walk with us on the ‘Big Four’ journey,” he said.
He said his administration has continued to improve the business environment with a view of providing a facilitative environment for private sector growth.
Between 2014 and 2018, Kenya improved its ranking on World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index (DBI) by 56 positions from 136 to 80 and remains on target to get to the top 50 by 2020.
US Commerce Secretary Ross and BCIU CEO Peter Tichansky, commended President Kenyatta for creating a conducive environment for the private sector to thrive in Kenya.
“The US business executives expressed their appetite to increase investments in Kenya following the assurances by President Kenyatta,” he said.
Meanwhile, during the meeting, President Trump expressed concern about the political crisis and religious persecution in Rwanda. The US President observed that President Paul Kagame could avert the looming outright civil war in Rwanda.
President Donald Trump asked President Uhuru Kenyata to work with regional leaders for a peaceful solution to the political impulse in Rwanda.
President Donald Trump suspended Rwanda from AGOA. Trump Administration dropped Rwanda from the 10 African countries to benefit the most from US Military cooperation.