On 2 July 2020, UK Trade Commissioner to Africa Emma Wade-Smith conducted her first virtual visit to Kenya, leveraging telecommunication technology to connect with the business community, government officials, and colleagues.
From the safety of her lockdown office in Johannesburg, Wade-Smith engaged in a live TV interview and discussed various initiatives to support Kenya's economic recovery and Covid-19 response.
The visit built on the strong UK-Kenya partnership, established through the strategic partnership signed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President Uhuru Kenyatta in London at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in January.
Wade-Smith spoke with businesses and government officials about UK support for Kenya's economic recovery, including efforts to reduce the cost and time it takes to move across East Africa's borders, and the development of an innovative truck drivers app.
The UK government has also pivoted some of its economic development programmes to help Kenya respond to and recover from Covid-19, including supporting the Kenyan government's Business Situation Room, which provides policy advice and real-time support to businesses facing generational challenges.
As part of their joint efforts to keep trade and supply chains moving, Wade-Smith also heard about the work between government and industry to ensure cargo continues to flow, including the work of Kenya and British Airways to facilitate exports of Kenya's vegetables and cut flowers to the UK.
Wade-Smith emphasized the importance of establishing strong frameworks around energy, especially to tackle the challenges posed by climate change, exacerbated by locusts and severe flooding.
She also highlighted the commitment of larger UK companies to sustain jobs and adapt to the challenges of the pandemic, and the shared intent of government and the private sector to cooperate effectively in responding to the pandemic.
Wade-Smith expressed her enthusiasm for the work being done together and looked forward to her next visits, both virtual and in-person.
Emma Wade-Smith is Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner to Africa.
