President William Ruto has arrived in Kisumu for the official opening of the 4th Africa Sub-Sovereign Network Conference being held at the Swiss Grand Royal Hotel.
In a confirmation sent to the media by Presidential Press Service, the head of State is scheduled to give his keynote address between 10 am to 10:35 am.
Other dignitaries accompanying the president include CSs John Mbadi (National Treasury) and Salim Mvurya (Trade and Industry).
The Sub-Sovereign Network Conference is a gathering that seeks to promote sustainable development through Trade and investment among member states in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The conference started on Monday under the theme “Leveraging the AfCFTA for Sustainable Trade and Investment: A Development Pathway for African Sub-Sovereigns".
The event is being hosted in collaboration with Kisumu and the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa(UCLGA).
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o noted that one of the key objectives of the conference is to foster greater collaboration promoting trade, development, and investment initiatives among African sub-sovereigns, aligned with the goals of the AfCFTA.
The other objective is to address the financing deficit faced by African sub-sovereign governments.
"This is why we thank Afreximbank for taking the initiative to establish AfSNET, with the primary goal of bridging the financing gap and ensuring that development takes root at the regional and local levels".
A key feature of the event, Nyong'o noted, will be an exhibition aimed at promoting trade at a local level.
It will be preceded by an investment promotion training which is ongoing.
The high-profile event will bring together leaders across Africa, including heads of state, governors, mayors, legislators, policymakers, financial institutions, and key stakeholders, all focused on enhancing intra-Africa trade, regional integration, and sustainable economic development.
This year’s AfSNET will serve as a platform to promote intra-African trade and investment and expand educational and cultural exchanges through those networks within envisioned sub-sovereign multilevel governments that constitute Africa Region Development Agencies(ADRAs), all underpinned by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The conference also seeks to empower local governments in their role in driving economic growth, sustainability, and development across Africa and foster new, and deepen existing, partnerships between governments, investors, and development agencies in deepening regional integration and implementation of the AfCFTA.
The conference also seeks to promote Kisumu as an emerging investment destination and a key participant in regional and global economic development.
With its strategic location, growing infrastructure and commitments to sustainable development, the lakeside city is poised to play a critical role in driving economic activity in East Africa and beyond.
The inaugural AfSNET Conference was held in Durban, South Africa on the margins of the 2nd edition of the 2021 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021).
The Conference was attended by over 80 delegates, including representatives of six African sub-sovereign governments including Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, as well as senior government officials and those leading financial institutions; academia; the private sector; and media.
