The Kwale County government is creating an enabling environment that seeks to attract both local and foreign investors to invest in the coastal county.
Governor Fatuma Achani says the devolved government is taking steps towards creating an enabling environment that seeks to attract investments, create jobs, and stimulate growth.
Achani says her administration is implementing policies and programmes that foster a business-friendly environment, investment infrastructure, and value addition in key sectors of the economy such as agriculture, fishing, and tourism.
The coastal county boss, who is on a working tour to the Kingdom of Morocco, said this when she held talks with El Khattat Yanja, the President of the Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab region in Morocco.
Achani says the devolved government is out to explore business opportunities in Morocco and forge investment partnerships across business endeavours, which will open the frontiers of economic prosperity.
“Kwale is out to enhance its image as an investment destination, and we are dedicated to providing an enabling business environment for local and international investors,” she said.
Achani says the two regions signed a cooperation protocol and partnership in the areas of agriculture, blue economy, tourism, maritime fishing, cultural exchange, construction industry, logistics, investment encouragement, and environment protection.
The Governor said her administration has been deliberate in stimulating the economy of the coastal county by building human resource capacity, creating wealth, and generating employment opportunities for the people.
She stated that the engagements between the two regions will unlock the investment prospects between Kenya and Morocco, thus inviting investors to Kwale County so as to accelerate development in both regions.
“The regions of Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab and Kwale have many similarities, which we believe will make our cooperation efforts seamless,” she said, adding that she is intensifying efforts to attract investment to Kwale County.
Achani, accompanied by County Secretary Sylvia Chidodo and Water Executive Hemed Mwabudzo, says Kwale is primed to be an investment powerhouse and an economic hub in Kenya due to its strategic location, its rich agriculture base, access to the Indian Ocean, abundant mineral resources, and tourism potential.
Achani, who is wooing investors in Morocco, visited various construction sites, including the Dakhla Atlantic Port, to witness first-hand the ongoing construction of the multi-billion-dollar port facility.
She says her administration is ready to partner further with investors in key socio-economic areas that will improve people’s lives.
The Port project which is fully funded by the Kingdom of Morocco, is expected to locally facilitate the growth of several industries, especially Mining, Fishing, Tourism, Solar and Hydrogen Energy, Trade and the Manufacturing sector in the State of Dakhla, as well as boost the economy both locally and nationally within the Country.
Achani said that the lesson drawn from the Dakhla Atlantic Port project will significantly help Kwale, especially on the ongoing Sh2.6 billion Shimoni fish port project, which, upon completion, is expected to transform Kwale and Kenya at large economically, saying that the Region of Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab and Kwale have numerous similarities that will make the cooperation even more harmonious.
“Kwale has enormous natural resources and a rich cultural heritage with significant opportunities to exploit in the areas of agriculture, blue economy, construction, tourism and hospitality, transportation, and industrial growth,” she said.
Achani called on the investors and Moroccan nationals to visit Diani for leisure and investments in the tourism sector.
“Diani is the tourism and resort town in Kwale that has worldwide popularity as the best beach destination in Africa, and we therefore invite you to visit Diani for leisure and investments in the tourism sector,” she said.
Achani welcomed the idea of having a twin city between Diani municipality and Dakhla region as an area where the two regions can explore for more sharing and partnership in the tourism sector.
Diani Beach is the preferred holiday destination for both domestic and foreign tourists, and each year it receives a record number of holidaymakers arriving to savour its beautiful scenery.
The coastal county boss says Kwale will reposition itself as a top Halal (Shariah-compliant) tourism development-friendly destination as the hospitality industry already has outstanding halal tourism infrastructure to cater for Muslim travellers.
“As a Muslim, it’s important to ensure that your travel arrangements, including food and accommodation, are Halal, especially if you intend on travelling during the Muslim holiday seasons,” she said.
She urged stakeholders to offer tour packages with extended services such as allocating times for praying in the itinerary of Muslim tourists and offering halal food.
The twin-cities agreement, which was signed between Governor Achani and the Dakhla Oued Eddahab region President El Khattat Yanja, aims at providing a unique platform for peer learning and mutual benefit for both the Dakhla and Kwale regions.
On his part, President El Khattat Yanja of the Dakhla Oued Eddahab Region said that the visit by the Kwale County Government led by Governor Achani represents an ideal opportunity to take a new step towards strengthening Moroccan-Kenyan relations that will eventually diversify relations, friendship, and cooperation between the two regions in all spheres of development.
He commended Governor Achani for her political will to exploit the potential of the coastal county for posterity.
President El Khattat Yanja says he signed a cooperation protocol with Governor Achani touching on the areas of education, cultural exchange, scientific cooperation, transport and logistics, promotion of economic development in the areas of trade, tourism, marine fishing, agriculture, investment encouragement, and environmental protection.
By Hussein Abdullahi
