BUSINESS FRATERNITY CAN ASSIST ADDRESS YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN AFRICA

BUSINESS FRATERNITY CAN ASSIST ADDRESS YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN AFRICA

The business fraternity can assist in addressing youth unemployment in the African continent. This was said by South Africa’s High Commissioner designate to Kenya, Ms Kolela Mqulwana. She was addressing the South African business delegation in Nairobi, Kenya last night ahead of an Outward Selling and Investment Mission to Kenya which is organised by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).

Mqulwana told the delegation that Africa needs business people who will fight against the high levels of youth unemployment alongside the public sector. This she said they could do through growing their businesses and employing people, in particular youth.

Mqulwana described the trade mission as a platform which would provide a networking opportunity. She said the mission also provided an opportunity for the South African businesspeople to source information on potential investment projects and to sell their products and services in Kenya. She also encouraged the delegation to utilise the opportunity maximally.

“The Information and Communication Technology and (ICT) and agro-processing sectors stand out in the opportunities presented by Kenya,” added Mqulwana.

She also pointed to the delegation that they could offer agricultural technology and mining services amongst the vast investment opportunities that exist in Kenya. She identified tourism, agriculture, transport, infrastructure, manufacturing, communications, energy, building and construction, and pharmaceuticals as sectors providing key business and investment opportunities in Kenya.

The targeted sectors for this mission include agro-processing, infrastructure, built environment professionals, mining and capital equipment, ICT, and electro-technical, chemicals, plastics, pharmaceuticals and energy.

The trade mission which starts today with an investment seminar will conclude tomorrow, with South African businesspeople meeting their Kenyan counterparts on a one-on-one basis.