NEPAD / APRM Kenya Secretariat

The Chief Executive Officer Secretariat, Amb. Dr. Samori Okwiya today appeared live on Inside Governance on KBC, where he discussed the critical role of good governance in advancing sustainable development.

Click the link below to watch the full interview.

youtube.com/live/4fw7cs7ao…

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Launch of Kenya’s AfCFTA-AIDA Country Impact Assessment Report

The Principal Secretary for the State Department for Economic Planning, Dr. Bonface B. Makokha, CBS, accompanied by accompanied by the Principal Secretary State Department for Trade Ms. Regina Ombam officially launched Kenya's AfCFTA–AIDA Country Impact Assessment Report and Policy Brief, marking a significant milestone in the country's industrialisation agenda and its strategic participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The launch, convened by the NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat under the leadership of Amb. Dr. Samori Okwiya, was undertaken in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The high-level forum brought together senior government officials, representatives of African Union institutions, development partners, the private sector, academia, civil society and technical experts to deliberate on the assessment findings and chart Kenya's next phase of industrial and intra- Africa trade transformation.
Speaking during the launch, Dr. Makokha stated the Government's commitment to leveraging the assessment findings to strengthen policy coordination, promote value addition, expand manufacturing capacity, enhance regional competitiveness and accelerate Kenya's implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. He underscored the importance of evidence-based policymaking in driving sustainable industrial growth and positioning Kenya as a leading manufacturing and trade hub on the continent.
Kenya is one of five African countries alongside Egypt, Ghana, Namibia and Seychelles selected to pilot the continent's first comprehensive impact assessment of the Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa (AIDA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) frameworks. The selection of Kenya as one of the five pilot countries reflects the country's commitment to industrial competitiveness, regional economic integration and data-driven national planning. The successful pilot has generated valuable lessons that will inform the refinement and eventual rollout of the assessment methodology across all African Union Member States.
The national assessment, undertaken through consultations involving government institutions, the private sector, development partners and technical experts, provides a comprehensive evaluation of Kenya's industrial landscape, trade readiness and policy environment. It identifies strategic interventions to strengthen regional value chains, promote industrial value addition, improve trade facilitation, expand transport and logistics infrastructure, increase access to finance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), enhance productive capacity and accelerate the adoption of regional digital trade and payment systems.
The initiative stems from a resolution of African Union Heads of State and Government during the 17th Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly on Industrialisation and Economic Diversification held in Niamey, Niger, in 2022, which called for structured country assessments to accelerate Africa's industrialisation agenda, economic diversification and implementation of the AfCFTA.

The report is expected to strengthen Kenya's national planning processes by providing policymakers with a practical, evidence-based framework for enhancing industrial productivity, expanding manufacturing, promoting value addition and increasing the country's competitiveness within Africa's single market. It also introduces a monitoring mechanism that will enable continuous evaluation of industrial policies and ensure implementation remains aligned with national development priorities.

Ahead of the launch a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme equipped technical experts drawn from government agencies and the private sector with methodologies, analytical tools and digital platforms required to institutionalise the assessment process and undertake future country assessments. The capacity-building initiative is expected to ensure sustainability beyond the pilot phase while embedding continuous monitoring as a key national planning instrument.

The assessment further recognises Kenya's investments in the LAPSSET Corridor, the Northern Corridor, the Port of Mombasa, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and the country's advanced digital and financial ecosystem as critical enablers of industrial development, regional connectivity and expanded intra-African trade.

The CEO NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat Amb. Dr. Samori Okwiya and the delegation paid courtesy to Dr. Josiah Makombe Chairman and the members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development in Zimbabwe and undertook a tour of the Parliament of Zimbabwe and discussed the strategic role of South-South Cooperation.

The CEO NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat Amb. Dr. Samori Okwiya visited the Chinhoyi University of Technology for a tour of the Agro-Industrial Park for experiential learning, innovation and CUT innovation hub which is a Centre for innovyand Entrepreneurship.

The CEO NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat Amb. Dr. Samori Okwiya and the delegation from AUDA-NEPAD led by Dr. Symerre Grey-Johnson undertook a courtesy visit to the Embassy of China in Zimbabwe to gain a high level understanding of the strategic South-South development initiatives, particularly under the FORUM ON CHINA-AFRICA Cooperation (FOCAC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and overview of AUDA-NEPAD’s continental development mandate.

In photos: FGDs on CPRM in Nkunene, Igoji East, Abogeta East and Kianjai wards in Meru County

The NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat led by the CEO Amb. Dr. Samori Okwiya held a series of high-level engagements in Zimbabwe aimed at strengthening knowledge exchange on innovative governance, human capital development, and transformative economic growth models across Africa.

During a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Hon. Simelisizwe Sibanda, discussions focused on Zimbabwe’s pioneering Education 5.0 Model and its role in advancing innovative human capital development. The engagement underscored the integration of education, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and industrialisation into national development frameworks, positioning institutions of higher learning as key drivers of socio-economic transformation.

The discussions highlighted the importance of nurturing a future ready workforce equipped with the skills, knowledge, and innovative capacity required to drive sustainable economic growth, enhance competitiveness, and support Africa’s development aspirations under Agenda 2063.

Subsequently, the delegation paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr. Willard Lowenstern Manungo, where discussions centered on the Office’s strategic leadership in coordinating national development priorities under Zimbabwe’s Look East Policy.

FGDs on CPRM in Njia and Egoji East wards in Meru County

In Photos: Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) on the County Peer Review Mechanism (CPRM) conducted in Karama Ward (Tigania East), Timau Ward (Buuri West), and Athwana Ward (Tigania West Sub-County) in Meru County.

Focus Group Discussions on County Peer Review Mechanism in kibirichia, Muthara and Tigania East wards in Meru County