The Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) on 4th July 2021 flagged off goods worth Ksh62,891,433 to Dubai as part of preparations for World Expo Dubai 2020, which kicks off in October. This is through the World Market Initiative (WMI), a retail opportunity provided by Expo organizers to participating countries that will enable exhibitors sell their unique and authentic products to Expo visitors during the 6-months period of the Expo.
“We thank the Expo organizers for this initiative for it gives our visitors an opportunity to experience and purchase the best of Kenya from our Kenya country kiosk during the expo. It is an opportunity to literally share the warmth of Kenya with the world,” said KEPROBA CEO Dr Wilfred Marube during the flag off ceremony in Nairobi.
Expo visitors will have the opportunity to purchase and interact with high-quality, unique, ethically produced and culturally significant products.
The categories of goods flagged off included coffee, tea, textiles, furniture, leather footballs, beauty products, coconut products, soap, sanitizers and assorted handicrafts. This exercise is being conducted by the Agency through a logistics firm Africa Freight Systems Limited that will ensure the country kiosk is well stocked way before kickoff of the Expo that will run from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022.
“We have already booked exhibition spaces, presented the overall program to Expo organizers, held various exhibitor briefings in readiness for the Expo. The Road to Dubai is already on,” Dr Marube added.
Also in place is a multi-agency committee preparing for the expo, with membership drawn from both public and private institutions including State Department for Trade, KEPROBA, representatives from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya Investment Authority, Kenya Tourism Board, Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, FPEAK, Fresh Produce Consortium, Kenya Flower Council, as well as Tea Board of Kenya.
Recently, Kenya shared a line-up of activities during the International Participants Meeting (IPM) that took place at Dubai Trade Centre from 4th to 6th May 2021 where over 370 delegates representing 173 countries attended.
The presentation by Dr. Marube, who is also the country’s Commissioner General at the Expo, highlighted Kenya’s planned activities for the entire 6 months and dwelled on the planned activities during the KENYA WEEK Activities at the Expo which will run from 14th February 2022 to 18th February 2022.
Kenya Week activities which will be the climax of Kenya’s participation at the Expo include Valentines Day on ground activations with the theme “ From Kenya with Love” where Kenya plans to distribute one million stems of roses and summer flowers to expo participants. Other activities include Kenya’s Counties and Economic Regional Blocs Day that will focus on investment opportunities available; Kenya National Day of Honour that will focus on cultural aspects as well as a business forum; Kenya GCC High-Level Trade, Investment and Tourism Forum; Kenya Cultural Day that will showcase Kenya’s cultural aspects.
Additionally, 18 Kenyan start ups companies have signed up for the ‘Scale to Dubai’ Initiative, a global entrepreneurship programme which offers start-ups and small businesses, with a proven track record in their countries, an opportunity to scale to Dubai. In the programme, participants will enjoy two-year free works space, free visa for two years and business set up.
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The theme for the World Expo Dubai 2020 is Connecting Minds, Creating the Future while Kenya’s theme is Feel the Energy.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the main market for Kenya in the greater Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) market comprised of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Also worth noting is the fact that Kenya and United Arab Emirates have a signed a double-taxation avoidance agreement that exempts taxation for national carriers from UAE.
Kenyan exhibitors still have a chance to showcase their products in the additional spaces secured for them and can register at https://kenyaexpo2020.co.ke.
