This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
On August 9, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta extended an invitation to Barbadian investors to establish their businesses in Kenya, highlighting the country's enabling environment for both local and foreign businesses to thrive.
Speaking in Bridgetown, Barbados, during a business forum that brought together Kenyan and Barbadian investors, President Kenyatta emphasized that Kenya's membership in the East African Community, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) makes it an attractive gateway to the African market.
“Kenya is an entry point into the African market and if your businesses come to Kenya, they will get access to an African population of 1.2 billion,” President Kenyatta assured the Barbadian business community.
He also pointed out that Kenya was ranked position 61 out of 190 countries by the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Report 2019, making it a preferred destination for investment in the Eastern and Central Africa region.
President Kenyatta identified the tourism sector, mobile money, renewable energy, blue economy, and affordable housing as emerging areas that present lucrative opportunities for foreign investment.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados emphasized the importance of private sector investment in the two countries, urging the removal of obstacles that hinder trade between them by involving their respective private sectors.
