SPEECH BY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF TRADE, WHEN FORMALLY CLOSING THE WORKSHOP ON ECONOMIC POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT JOURNALISM AT SAFARI PARK HOTEL, NAIROBI ON JULY 4, 2008

My Colleagues,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am delighted to join you today; and to formally close this important workshop on Economic Policy and Development Journalism. My Ministry has been closely associated in this in imitative. In deed as my Assistant Minister, Hon. Omingo Magara, stated at the opening session, my Ministry is fully enjoined in solidarity and support to the continued education and sensitization of the media on eco I wish to re-state the Ministry’s commitment to the positive engagement with the media in all aspects of our mandate.

Ladies and Gentlemen: My Ministry is mandated to facilitate the growth and development of trade in the country. We have therefore articulated our Mission, which is: To facilitate trade by championing an enabling environment for domestic and export business to thrive.” We therefore see our vision as to catalyze a globally competitive private sector.

The framework for stimulating private sector growth and competitiveness is the Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS) this is a five year programme whose overall goal is to improve the enabling environment in which the private sector can grow and develop. The objective is to make the private sector the real engine for economic growth.” This strategy is closely aligned to the economic pillar of Vision 2030.

The Private Sector Development Strategy is anchored in my Ministry. We shall co-ordinate the implementation of the Strategy across the economic ministries and private sector institutions. In partnership with key stakeholders we seek to effectively implement the five goals of PSDS. These are:

improvement in Kenya’s business environment;
improved service delivery in interactions between the public and private sectors;
expansion in trade through products and markets diversification;
improved competitiveness of Kenya’s products and services in the regional and global markets;
and higher integration of the micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the national and global value chains.

Let me now explain what these goals entail: under Goal 1, and working with relevant government ministries, we shall fast track the completion of the framework for Public Private Partnership in the development of infrastructure. Infrastructure is key to our economic development. Mobilizing resources from the private sector for investment in infrastructure are therefore a key to strategy to enhance economic growth.

Other interventions in this goal will seek to reduce the cost of doing business through continued reforms in the legal, regulatory and administrative framework targeting, in particular, the interface between business and local authorities. The objective is to improve the investment climate at the grassroots operational levels.

Goal 2 will support institutional reforms to create a service delivery culture that responds to the needs of the private sector,

In improving competitiveness of Kenya’s products and services, as reflected in goal 3, we shall strengthen our trade policy making capacity to better support the export efforts of the private sector. We shall also streamline trade facilitation processes to reduce bottlenecks in the import and export trade.

In support of export diversification and growth, we shall address, through Goal 4, the major supply – side constraints that hinder the growth in our export trade. Productivity and competitiveness improvement will be a key objective in this respect.

Ladies and Gentlemen: In this workshop, you have engaged with important public policy and strategic initiatives, including the Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth Creation (ERS) and its successor, Vision 2030; and the Medium Term Implementation Framework 2008-2012).

You have also related to Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS) which is the link between our emerging Trade Policy and the Economic Pillar of Vision 2030. You have also learned from international best practice from renowned scholars and practitioners in development journalism. I am advised that discussions have been vigorous and fruitful. I would like therefore to commend you for your added insight into the complex challenge of communicating development to our people. I am confident that this added competence will positively impact our mutual engagement in the development process.

It is in this respect therefore, that I seek your partnership in disseminating trade policy initiatives. We at the Ministry will provide a favourable environment in which the media can be fully empowered to facilitate shared engagement by all stakeholders in the trade development process. As partners in the development process, the media will bridge the gap between policy makers and implementers.

This will generate added momentum for development. This partnership is therefore key to realizing our aspirations as articulated in Vision 2030. I am confident that I can count on you to positively respond to this new paradigm in the relations between media and Government.

I now have pleasure in formally closing this workshop on Economic Policy and Development Journalism and I wish you success as you re-energize your approach to development communication in the country.

Thank you!

Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, EGH, MP

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade