Africa continent has a duty to make delibarate decisions to increase trade among its nations, President William Ruto has said.
Ruto said African countries should eliminate barriers to trade in order for investors to exploit opportunities in the continent.
Speaking at the Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre, Maputo, duringthe Mozambique-Kenya business investment forum, Dr Ruto said decisions must bemade to promote intra-continental trade.
He argued that investors would not be able exploit the continent’s potentiality ifbarriers hindering free movement of people and goods were not eliminated.”There is no longer just a Mozambican or Kenyan market, because countries arenow integrated in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa),”said President Ruto.
He added:”I want to persuade the businesspeople here to look beyond our twocountries and explore opportunities in the continent.”
He said there is the desire and aspiration that the continent should create a commonmarket free from obstacles if ‘we have to prosper’.The Head of State reiterated the need to empower Pan-African Parliamentto makeAfrica Union (AU) accountable in its operations.
“We must have astrong body that can be the continent’s stand bearer on issuesaffecting the region,” he said.President Filipe Nyusi said there were opportunities for investments in the field ofagro-processing, production of flowers and infrastructural development among othersectors.”We have improved our business environment for investments to thrive,” saidPresident Nyusi.
Meanwhile, President Ruto has assured Kenyans in diaspora that the Governmentwill continue to carry out reforms aimed at improving service delivery.He said efforts were being made to ensure all Government services were moved to adigital flatform to enable them access services online without necessarily visitingoffices.
“When I took over last year, 320 Government services were being doneonline.Butnow we’ve 5,300 services online. Am sure by the end of this year, all services will bedone online,” he said.
Addressing Kenyans living in Mozambique in Maputo, on Friday evening, Dr Rutosaid the issue of driving licenses that has been a challenge to them in Mozambiquehas been resolved.”We have concluded and signed mutual recognition of driving licences of our twocountries .
You can now use your driving licenses from Kenya in Mozambiquewithout any problem,” said President Ruto.President Ruto further urged them to embrace the culture of savings.”It’s time we start saving and investing in projects that will help us in in future.”
The culture of saving is then only sure way for us to succeed,” said Dr Ruto.He said the Governmenthas transformed the National Social Security Fund (NSSF)to ensure efficient delivery of services.Present were Cabinet Secretaries Alfred Mutua (Foreign Affairs), Aden Duale(Defence) and Attorney General Justin Muturi among others.