The Chamber 1st Vice President Dr. Erick Rutto this morning hosted a delegation of five people from Augsburg Germany led by the Mayor of Gersthofen Mr. Michael Worle and the Member of Parliament, Baringo South Hon. Kandie, Joshua Chepyegon. Gersthofen is a town in the district of Augsburg, in Bavaria, Germany.

Dr. Rutto highlighted that Germany is one of the important export destinations for Kenya and remains the second economic partner in Europe after the United Kingdom with current trade statistics showing that there has been a lucrative trade growth between Kenya and Germany since 2016 to 2020.  However, there has been a decline in imports within the last 4 years. An observation that both parties noted with concern.

Kenya export to Germany; tea, coffee, cut flowers, fruits and nuts, vegetables, petroleum, live plants and titanium ores while Germany imports; vacuum pumps, dishwashing machines, machinery, tractors, motor cars, insecticides and laboratory reagents.

On his part, Mr. Michael Worle , the Mayor of Gersthofen indicated that since 2008 the city of Gersthofen joined forces with the association ProKapsogo and entered into a climate change partnership with the County Government of Baringo. The partnership seeks to address issues concerning sustainable water management, afforestation and environmental education putting in place an in-depth road map and a clear vision on areas of focus and implementation on how to combat the adverse effects climate change.

Stadt Gersthofen is keen in implementing the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by having action-oriented programs to ensure there is supply of drinking water by contrasting wells, solar panels and water treatment, Rainwater harvesting for agriculture, raising awareness and waste prevention, separation and recycling.

To kick off the partnership, both KNCCI and Gersthofen agreed to schedule for workshop meeting to map out on possible partners that will help in the implementation of the partnership with the first workshop to be held on 13th April,2022 from 9am to 1 pm at Heron Portico Hotel.

To create long term partnership, both organizations agreed leverage on their networks to identify projects and programmes focused on climate change that will see to a sustainable cooperation between Kenya and Germany.

Also present in the meeting were; KNCCI Director Youth In Business Mr. Muchiri Mungai; Head Waters Africa, Director, strategy & Global partnerships Mr. Shadrack Kiprono and KNCCI Secretariat.