Kenya’s government reiterates commitment to accelerating research and innovation
Date: 2023-11-29
The government of Kenya has
reiterated its commitment to accelerating the commercialization of research and
innovation in the country.
Speaking during the opening
of the 2023 Kenya Innovation Week, Commonwealth Edition at the College of
Insurance in Nairobi, the President of Kenya, William Ruto noted that provisions
of incentives and the scaling up funding in innovation will expand opportunities
for the youth.
The goal, he added, is to promote the achievement of innovation, value creation, and competitive advantage. The President said the Government is facilitating access to quality infrastructure, financing, and training for youth to enhance inclusivity in innovation.
“We have no choice except to recognise innovation as a promising instrument for unlocking the doors of unprecedented opportunities,” he explained.
The
President observed that the youth play a pivotal role in driving innovation
within the country’s economy, citing that youth-driven start-ups secured US
dollars 700 million last year, positioning Kenya as a leading investment hub in
Africa.
For
this reason, he went explained, the Government is deliberately promoting “the
innovative mindset” from an early age through the competence-based curriculum.
“The
objective is to facilitate the rapid development of a sustainable pipeline of
globally competitive innovators,” he added.
The
Head of State said the government has launched the Presidential Innovation
Award to recognise the most promising innovations during the Jamhuri Day
celebrations.
He
observed that this year’s edition will consider submissions from all counties,
covering food security and agriculture, digital transformation, healthcare,
entertainment and gaming, climate action, and green energy.
Present
during this year’s edition were Patricia Scotland the Secretary General of the
Commonwealth, Cabinet Secretaries, and various stakeholders.
