WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, USTDA’s Director of Congressional and Public Affairs, Thomas R. Hardy, joined President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya at a roundtable discussion with U.S. businesses hosted by the Business Council for International Understanding in Washington, D.C.

At the event, Mr. Hardy discussed USTDA’s commitment to support an Emergency Communications Systems Reverse Trade Mission for Kenyan officials responsible for the dispatch of emergency services throughout Kenya.  The upcoming visit is the direct result of a request by the Government of Kenya for support increasing the effectiveness and timeliness of emergency support services. The visit will connect leading U.S. manufacturing and technology providers to Kenyan officials that are responsible for enhancing Kenya’s communication capabilities in fire, health, or weather-related emergencies and improving access to emergency responders for all Kenyan citizens.

President Kenyatta’s visit to the United States follows the Presidential Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa’s (PAC-DBIA) fact-finding mission to Kenya in June of this year, during which USTDA announced awards for one grant, two study tours to the United States, and the opening of a USTDA office in Nairobi. USTDA support announced during the PAC-DBIA fact-finding mission included:

• A grant for the Kenya Tea Development Agency Power Company Limited (KTDA Power) to assess its power requirements and the viability of solar power and storage systems at its tea processing facilities across Kenya. This project will provide KTDA Power with approximately 30 megawatts of reliable energy, while also reducing operating costs at the tea factories. The project builds on previous USTDA support for KTDA Power, which led to the construction of three hydropower plants and another seven that are under development for KTDA Power’s tea factories.
• A procurement orientation visit for Kenyan delegates under USTDA’s Global Procurement Initiative (GPI), developed in response to the PAC-DBIA’s April 2018 recommendations report. The visit will feature an introduction to challenges experienced throughout the three stages of procurement, including:  the professionalization of the procurement workforce, anti-corruption issues, and the establishment of e-procurement systems.
• A cybersecurity reverse trade mission for delegates from Kenya and Rwanda. The East Africa Cybersecurity Solutions for Financial Institutions Reverse Trade Mission will bring public and private sector representatives from Kenya and Rwanda to the United States to meet with U.S. companies and see cutting-edge U.S. technologies, services, and best practices in cybersecurity solutions for financial institutions. Delegates will also learn about policies, regulations, and financing mechanisms that can support the implementation of additional cybersecurity controls in East Africa.

“These projects demonstrate USTDA’s commitment to investing in infrastructure that will drive the growth of the Kenyan economy,” said Mr. Hardy. “We look forward to supporting this growth while creating opportunities for U.S. businesses to export cutting-edge technologies and services throughout the Kenyan economy.”