The North Rift Economic Bloc has partnered with Britain for its revival and success as a regional trade outfit.
The bloc’s eight member counties will focus on joint Sh200 billion economic investments to fight poverty.
Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago said the partnership will turn the region into major economic hub. Mandago is the chairman of Noreb.
The bloc was created to capitalise on natural resources, sports tourism, wildlife, cultural heritage and agriculture.
On Friday, Mandago led other governors to a meeting with British deputy high commissioner to Kenya, Suzie Kitchens to discuss the partnership.
“The partnership is basically to expand and strengthen the bloc. Our partners are coming to help us in formulating policies and legal frameworks,” the Uasin Gishu governor said.
The agenda of the partnership include resource mapping and coming up with trade policies that can make the region economically vibrant.
Mandago said Noreb has proposed infrastructural development to establish peace along the Kerio Valley.
Among the proposals is the provision of water for pastoralist communities. The leaders said shortage of water was the major cause of conflict among pastoralists.
Kitchens said the government was interested in partnering with Noreb.
“Noreb has made huge progress since I personally got to learn of it. Our coming here is basically to help the bloc attract investors from the United Kingdom,” Kitchens said.
She praised the governors for inclusiveness, noting that they had involved women and the disabled in governance.
Governors Alex Tolgos (Elgeyo Marakwet), Stanley Kiptis (Baringo) and deputies governors Daniel Chemno (Uasin Gishu) and Yulitia Mitei (Nandi) and the bloc’s CEO Dominic Biwott attended the Friday meeting in Eldoret.
County executives also attended the occasion.
Officials from UKAID Governance Team, Department for International Trade and the UKAID Economic Development and AHADI were also represented.
Noreb brings together Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana and Samburu counties.
The block has been dormant, prompting some member counties to join other regional blocs.
“We have already negotiated with other partners to help us drive the Noreb agenda,” Mandago said.