This archive report was first published on 6 November 2019.
As the Ambassador of Switzerland to Kenya, I am often asked to explain the impact of our diplomatic mission in the country over the past 50 years.
One benchmark I like to use is the Kenya Utalii College, which was the first and largest project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Kenya when it started operations in 1969.
Established on a needs assessment for trained staff in the growing Kenyan tourism industry, the college was a significant developmental project for Geneva.
However, since Kenya fully took over the operations of Utalii in 2001, it has developed its hospitality sector using internal resources, making it self-sufficient.
This transition from requiring active support from Switzerland to self-sufficiency is a testament to successful development.
Today, Kenya is a middle-income nation, and what it needs from development partners is not so much aid but private sector investment for economic growth and jobs.
That's why I take great pride in the fact that a high-level trade mission from Switzerland is coming to Kenya in search of investment opportunities, led by State Secretary of Economy Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch.
Some of the Swiss corporate bodies represented will be looking towards Kenya for the first time, while others have existing investments in the country.
There are already about 50 Swiss businesses in Kenya, providing a range of services, from vocational training to young Kenyans to financial services to their customers.
As we welcome the Swiss trade mission from November 11-13, it will be an important moment to see and learn from each other and to strengthen our bilateral economic ties.
