NAIROBI, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Thursday launched a strategic plan that seeks to boost the country's exports by at least 10 percent annually from the 1 trillion shillings (about 7.7 billion U.S. dollars) recorded in 2023.
Jaswinder Bedi, chairperson of the state-owned Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, told journalists in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi that the strategic plan serves as a roadmap for propelling Kenya to become an export-led economy and a top global brand.
"To achieve the set export growth target, the strategic plan recognizes the importance of exploring new export opportunities across a number of other markets," Bedi said.
He added that the blueprint provides procedures to enable Kenya to expand its exports to Africa, which is already the country's largest market, by championing the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Michael Mandu, acting secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Investments and Industry, said that in order to address the existing problem of the lack of export-enabling distribution infrastructure in key destination markets, the strategic plan has set a target of establishing 10 warehouses and distribution centers in countries such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa and China.
"These warehouses will enhance the distribution and visibility of Kenyan products in regional and international markets, thus providing the convenience of timely delivery, which is essential for competitiveness," he added. ■