Professionals from the Nyanza region have organised a two-day international investment conference in Kisumu to promote investments in the area.
The conference seeks to bring together local and international investors to explore development opportunities in the six Nyanza region counties.
Information and Communication Technology Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo said the conference will help facilitate optimal uptake informed by the comparative advantages of Nyanza.
Owalo, who met the planning committee for the conference on Friday, said local and foreign investors should take advantage of the upcoming event to exploit available opportunities in the region.
"There are various investment opportunities in the six counties which must be fully exploited to help spur economic growth and create more jobs, especially for the youths," he said.
The conference themed "Nyanza Rising: Towards Economic Transformation for Socio-Economic Growth & Development" will be held between June 28 and 29 at Ciala Resort in Kisumu.
The planning committee is led by Jalph Olende.
Nyanza Professionals’ Forum is an entity established by professionals from the region to offer their expertise to support development as a way of giving back to the region.
The forum comprises professionals of different cadres, business leaders and scholars from the Nyanza Region, both in Kenya and the Diaspora, who collectively have decided to play a more prominent role in the development of the Nyanza Region.
The CS said the conference will also unpack the region’s development challenges and invite proposals on solutions.
To harness the available potentials, Owalo said a comprehensive approach is required to bring together, the national and county governments, development partners, business leaders, scholars, researchers, local community, diaspora and international organisations.
"The conference will be a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences among these stakeholders while identifying investment opportunities and pertinent programmes for the development of the region," he said
Registration for the conference is ongoing. The participants will include development partners, the private sector, national and county governments and representatives of international organizations.
Others are trade associations, business associations, civil society, and trade unions, diaspora representatives, professional organizations, leaders of farmers groups, women and youth leaders, representatives of Jua Kali groups and leaders of Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs).
