Barbados and Kenya have acknowledged the need to form partnerships, build bridges, and identify challenges and opportunities for enhancing trade relations between the two countries.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Business, Sandra Husbands, told the first Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (KNCCI) virtual Dialogue Series that as a result of increased political cooperation over the past two years, imports from Kenya had increased while Barbados’ exports to Kenya had decreased.
The virtual dialogue series is being held under the theme “Demystifying the Barbados and Kenya Markets,” with Husbands highlighting the need for Barbados to implement new initiatives to ramp up its export potential.
“It is to our benefit, therefore, that we must continue to focus on deepening our people-to-people interactions, as it is the foundation for generating all economic activity. More people-to-people interaction creates greater receptivity to the goods and products which they offer,” Husbands said, noting that people-to-people interaction is key to achieving and increasing trade between the two countries.
“And so part of our strategy for supporting the Barbadian enterprises that wish to engage the African continent and wish to engage Kenya is for us to be pursuing and building through our mission.”
She said that through the Embassy in Kenya, Barbados is seeking to establish linkages between communities, clubs, and associations. In addition, the island is seeking to have exchanges between schools, universities, cultural groups, and practitioners, as well as media entities.
Husbands said this would help to knit together the people in a bond of friendship, which would create the receptivity for trade and traded goods and services within both populations.
“As a government, we will continue to support the efforts of both parties in advancing trade in our respective jurisdictions. I want to assure you that I eagerly await the outcome of this series to further discuss what other things we need to put in place to support you in this effort to build our South-South trade through Kenya.
“So, let’s continue our efforts to demystify trade between our economies and let us work to create, nurture and foster sustainable economies, and let us move together as one,” she added.
BCCI’s President, Anthony Branker, and KNCCI’s Second Vice President, Fatma El-Maawy, both expressed the desire to foster greater collaboration between the two chambers, noting this would provide mutual financial benefits to their respective members and stakeholders.
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