Kenya is hosting the 14th edition of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD14). This is the second time Kenya honored to host the conference that takes place every four years. Kenya is the only country that hosted the event twice having last been host in 1976, a session that saw one of the most successful Global Commoditioies Forum.
The Ministry of Tourism through the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has been key in supporting the preparations for the conference. The Ministry and KTB was part of the information briefing session in March, 2016 which saw Kenya pitch the tourism offering to the delegates represented from the 194 UN Member states. There was also an exhibition which provided an opportunity for Kenya to showcase the various sectors in trade and development that the delegates will interface with during the session.
The Secretary General – UNCTAD Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, a Kenya National, confirmed that indeed Kenya is ready to host the 4 800 delegates who will attend the conference that is expected reach a participation of about 6000 delegates, 80 ministers and various Heads of States. It’s been a long journey preparing for this multi forum session that is expected to make deliberations on various areas including trade and commodities, globalization and development, investment and enterprise and technology and logistics among others’, Dr. Kituyi added.
His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, joined by the Secretary of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki moon and other high level leaders was present during the opening ceremony of the conference on 17th July 2016.
On this high lever event, the Kenya Tourisms Board Ag Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Jacinta Nzioka- Mbithi said that Kenya is proud to be host to this key event. Various international forums hosted by the country like The Global Entrepreneurship Summit, the 10th Ministerial conference of the World Trade organization and the upcoming Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD) to be hosted later in August continue to enhance the destination brand on which the countrys tourism product thrives on. The delegates are here just on time to experience the Maasai Mara Migration, the 8th wonder of the world. We have select tour operators at hand whom the delegates will have access to for planned tours, added the CEO. The delegates have had information shared on the UNCTAD website on the various short and long tours and can readily sample these during the conference or after the event. The Kenya Tourism Board welcomes the delegates to sample Kenya’s unparalleled attractions and to take advantage of the wildebeest migration, the worlds 8th Wonder.
Kenya’s destination brand continues to soar with these opportunities that avail the country audience in the global arena.
UNCTAD is governed by 194 member states and is the UN body responsible for dealing with economic and sustainable development issues with specific focus to trade, finance and technology.
