DM Monitoring
NAIROBI: Kenya will leverage its participation at the upcoming China International Fair for Trade in Services to boost a post-COVID-19 recovery through increased exports of goods and services to the Asian nation, a government official said here on Wednesday.
Wilfred Marube, chief executive officer of the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, said participation at the services trade fair, scheduled for Sept. 4-9, will revitalize commercial ties and hasten economic recovery after the coronavirus-induced downturn. “Trade in services is critical in increasing international trade as well as enhance the growth of trade in goods. Trade in services makes an important contribution to the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises also,” Marube told Xinhua in an interview.
“This is a strategic event for Kenyan service providers to participate, especially those in the fields of transport and logistics, financial services, education and health,” he added. Kenyan officials and investors will attend the international trade fair in China to showcase the East African nation’s potential as an attractive investment destination, according to the official.
“The vibrancy and its internal market dynamics make China a potential market for Kenya’s exports. We can tap the potential for trade growth of both countries, to raise the quality and level of bilateral trade,” he said.
Marube said China’s trade fair will also provide an opportunity for Kenya to increase its export portfolio to China amid the pandemic.
According to Marube, Kenya will utilize the trade fair to help boost market access for key products like tea, avocados, vegetables and cut flowers. The fair, he added, will provide a platform to bolster trade in key services like health, information and communications technology, logistics, banking and insurance.
Marube said that China has become one of the leading consumers of tourism products in Kenya, adding that the trade fair will present an opportunity to showcase the country’s scenic attractions.
