Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o on Tuesday held a consultative meeting with a delegation from Cameroon to benchmark on potential collaboration opportunities as the county gears up to host the intercontinental Africities summit.
The delegates who were winding up their weeklong tour at the lakeside city expressed confidence in the preparations made ahead of the 9th Africities conference slated to begin on May 17.
During the briefing, the Cameroonian head of delegation Jean Aloise said the summit would offer unique opportunities for the two countries to forge strategic partnerships in business and tourism.
Aloise further underscored the need for the visit as it would enhance learning and sharing of experiences on the development of local authorities between the two nations.
The visitors who are part of a bigger delegation from Cameroon expected to attend the Africities conference came to benchmark with Kisumu authorities.
“We have confirmed various facilities that will be of benefit to our delegates during the summit and we can confirm that they are of standard. We have managed to book accommodation in Kisumu for the 200 delegates that will be attending the conference from Cameroon,” said Aloise.
The Tourism Regulatory Authority has so far accredited and rated over 360 hotels with a total of 9,800 rooms in Kisumu and the neighbouring counties to house the 10,000 guests expected to attend the event.
Dignitaries expected to grace the conference include national government ministers, Regional Governors, Mayors for both major cities and intermediary cities and delegates across Africa.
According to Nyong’o, Kisumu Airport Authority Manager Selina Gor has okayed plans to have direct flights from the expanded lakeside airport to Yaounde Cameroon to facilitate ease of movement for the guests from the west.
At the same time, the governor in his bid to provide a conducive environment for delegates at the Africities Summit banned erecting posters, billboards and any form of campaign materials within the city until the end of Africities.
Nyong’o said, “this restriction is to help us portray and give the true reflection of Kisumu City as it always is before and after politics.”
By Robert Ojwang’ and Derrick Wesley
