OSLO: Monica Maeland, Norwegian Minister of Trade & Industry, was accompanied by more than 50 Norwegian CEOs and business representatives.
During the conference, an MoU was signed between Norway’s Energy Farm and Mully Children’s Family, an organisation.
Held in cooperation with the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), the Kenya Private Sector Alliance and the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Norway Business Forum focused on aquaculture and renewable energy. Several public and private sector companies attended, including Deloitte, Innovation Norway and Chandaria.
During the plenary session, Maeland said, “The Norwegian government pension fund has already invested over $76 million in 11 Kenyan companies ranging from finance to telecommunication.”
“Kenyan business associations have shown tremendous engagement in facilitating contact between Kenyan and Norwegian businesses. And so far, together, they have identified 50 potential projects for 32 different Norwegian companies,” she added.
Enovate, a Norwegian ICT company with solutions for the education sector, gave an expression of interest to Sure Step, a local Kenyan company also in the ICT sector. Already established in Kenya, Giersten, a Norwegian company with solutions in renewable energy mainly solar, spoke about their already established partnership in Kenya with Sandpiper Limited.
Chairing the Forum’s session on the development of sustainable fisheries and the aquaculture industry in Kenya, Dr. Moses Ikiara, Managing Director of KenInvest, said, “As we make determined efforts to widen the impact of Kenya’s investment promotion strategy, we have already captured the interest of a growing pool of Norwegian businesses eager to grow their company presence in East Africa.
“With key players present at Friday’s forum in Nairobi, we have already witnessed strategic partnerships formed, and expect many more to be formalised in the aquaculture sector and beyond, as we seek to partner with Norway to leverage mutually beneficial investment opportunities,” Ikiara added.
