REGIONAL ECONOMIC BLOCS PENS A COLLABORATION AGREEMENT WITH KENINVEST.

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Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest) and the County Economic Blocs (CEBs) halve entered into an agreement that see counties accelerate investments plans in the various blocs.

Led by the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB), the arrangement will see the regional blocs get a framework that allows the economic blocs work with the investment authority and the member counties.

Part of the crowd attending the event

Other regional blocs present during the launch were Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), Jumuia Ya Kaunti za Pwani, South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB) and Mount Kenya and Abardares Region Economic Bloc signed the agreement.

Speaking during the function, the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) Chair Stephen Sang said the agreement will position all the counties as economic hubs.

The Chair challenged Bloc CEOs to work with KenInvest in identifying investment opportunities that will steer economic development in the counties.

He further requested KenInvest to conne counties with investors who will invest in the upcoming County Aggregation and industrial Parks (CAIPs).

Hassan Abubakar PS Investment Promotion who was also present said his docket is ready to ensure that KenInvest and the blocs achieve the objective of the partnership to solve the unlimited promotion of investment.

KenInvest Acting Managing Director June Chepkemei noted that the move is the begining of national transformation adding that KenInvest and the blocs must grow their own investments.

“Our country is attractive but we are not landing any investors because we don’t have any ready projects to attract our investors”

“…there’s huge potential in our counties if we can build synergies.The hindrance has been investment efforts that are disjointed, a facilitative framework which if can be worked on can realize a joint investor mobilization” said Chepkemei

KenInvest has supported atleast 178 projects across the nation with an effort of growing investments and build economies.

Governors Ken Lusaka(Bungoma), Andrew Mwadime(Taita Taveta)Mutahi Kahiga(Nyeri), Godhana Dhadho Gaddae (Tana River),various Deputy Governors, Uasin Gishu CECMs Martha Cheruto (Trade and Cooperatives) and Micah Rogony(Finance) were among dignitaries present.

Resolutions of the Governor’s Roundtable with Elected Officials, Peace & Development Partners and Religious & Faith-based Organisations

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Perace Summit in Kitale

7th of July 2023, Governor’s Boardroom, Trans Nzoia County Assembly

We, therefore:

1. Call for political will and commitment by region leaders to forge peace in the region.
2. Implore NOREB Leadership, Governors, Senators, Members of Parliament, Women Representatives, and MCAs to participate in a Peace Caravan to communicate the resolve of the leaders to promote peace in the region.
3. Nominate the Chairman of the NOREB Peace & Security Forum to act as the Convenor, Coordinator and key focal point for all interventions related to peace & security in the region.
4. Identify short-term interventions for the promotion of peace in the region
5. Encourage National and County Governments to engage in efforts to promote peace in the North Rift Region
6. Encourage the use of technology and related intelligence to promote peace in the region.
7. Nominate NOREB Secretariat to coordinate a meeting with all political leaders in the region; Governors, Members of Parliament, Women Representatives, MCA’s within 1 (one) month of the signing of this document.
8. Call for the establishment of the technical multi-agency steering Committee composed of the National, County, and Development partners to develop a broad-based roadmap for inclusive economic development within 1 (one) month of the signing of this document.
9. Call for the cessation of conflict and/or ceasefire in the region and monitor incidences of conflict spearheaded by local leaders until a sustainable solution is found.
10. Encourage the provision of alternative, dignified methods for sustainable livelihoods, including an enhanced livestock values chain, access to markets, water for livestock and pasture.
11. Pledge the development of a ‘Marshall Plan’ to transform the economic matrix of the NOREB Region which currently includes: Livestock, Education, Water, Agriculture.
12. Encourage the operationalisation of the Cooperation Agreement recently ratified at NOREB.
13. Lobby for the disbursement of the Equalization Fund from National Government to the NOREB region to address issues on marginalisation that have contributed to conflicts in the region
14. Encourage the involvement of youth and women in peace-building through creating forums such as sports for intra-counties interactions within 3 (three) months of the signing of this document.
15. Recognize the need for collaboration between the National and County Governments to enhance the security structure through the commissioning of the County Policing Authority within 3 (three) months of the signing of this document.
16. Call for enhanced Public Participation in the NOREB region for strengthened inclusivity in planning and implementation of all citizens, especially the youth, to mitigate the effects of conflict in the region.

NANDI COUNTY HOSTS PRE SUMMIT MEETING ON GENDER IN KAPSABET.

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             North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) today held a preparatory meeting ahead of the NOREB Peace Summit meeting on in Kapsabet, Nandi County. Women, children and people living with disabilities are the most vulnerable groups whenever there is conflict.

Led by the Women Deputy Governors from the region in partnership with REINVENT, Rural Women Peace Links and UN Women, the meeting highlighted the plight of women and the special groups in the five (5) ‘disturbed’ counties in the North Rift region.

The meeting brought together national government officials, peace actors, development partners, CECMs, Chief Officers and Directors from the eight (8) NOREB counties to brainstorm the gender agenda that will be tabled at the NOREB Peace Summit.

Presentations by the Elgeyo Mrakwet Deputy Governor Prof Grace Cheserek, Ms Jaki MBOGO, Chief of Party for REINVENT, Mr. Paul Kuria from the National Gender Equality Commission, the CECMs from the NOREB counties and other speakers unanimously agreed that Gender should be integrated in all development agenda at national and county levels.

It was agreed that the NOREB Peace Summit should prioritize peace and gender during the conference. It was also agreed that the gender agenda should be expanded to include both men and women, this is basically because most authors of our culture are men, custodians are women and learners are the children.

Culture was identified as one of the powerful tools that national and county governments can use to drive the culture-change campaign against gender-based violence and other vices that comes with retrogressive and outdated cultural practices. The meeting urged partners and the two levels of government to put more resources to gender issues.

The NOREB Peace Summit is expected to come up with a regional intervention to the security situation in the North Rift region to supplement the national government’s security operation to promote deeper and sustainable peace.

THE SIGNING OF THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF UASIN GISHU HEADQUARTERS

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STATEMENT BY THE NOREB SUMMIT LED BY H.E HON STEPHEN SANG NOREB CHAIRMAN DURING THE SIGNING OF THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF UASIN GISHU HEADQUARTERS – ELDORET.

WE have today signed the cooperation agreement between the eight North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) counties, this agreement will activate a NOREB Bill that will be presented to the County Assemblies and form the basis under which NOREB will get a legal backing. NOREB have been in existence for more than five years without a legal framework. We have therefore come up with a NOREB Bill – 2023 that will be adopted and ratified by the various county governments.

Our bloc seeks to build on the competitive advantages of the differing economies of our counties through fostering intra-regional trade as well as taking advantage of  economies of scale from the various counties’. This region is known for pastoralism, Tourism, Agriculture, Logistics, Education, Health, Sports, ICT and other natural resources. The economic bloc is set to strengthen the North Rift Partner counties through trade and joint investments.

North Rift region has a diverse climatic conditions that enables the region to produce a wide range of products and services in the different sectors of the economy. There are certain areas within the region that experience famine and persistent drought hence there is need to undertake joint ventures to mitigate against effects of climate change and other challeges like insecurity and cattle rustling that is eating into our economy.

NOREB’s vision of creating a Haven of Economic Prosperity under our motor of “Growing Together” will be achieved when we widen and deepen our economic, social and cultural integration and enhance trade, investment, tourism, competitiveness and economies of scale through synergy while leveraging on the strength of individual counties.

The bloc will act as a one-stop shop for investors seeking opportunities in the region. The integration will also enable individual counties that are sometimes too small to leverage economies of scale, to jointly attract and implement large projects. The integration shall also be exercised in a way that supports national economic policies, our local economic activities across the county boundaries and the enhance national mobility of goods, services, capital or labour hence spur growth and transform lives of our people.

Through NOREB, we propose a sector approach model that will see each county championing a sector as follows;

 

Proposed Sector Champions  
Sector Champion
Trade, Investment & Urbanisation
Health
ICT & Digital Economy
Blue Economy
Livestock
Agriculture
Peace, Security & Cohesion
Climate Change
Sports & Tourism
Human Capital Development
Education
Infrastructure
Youth & Creative Industry
Gender

 

BANDITRY AND PEACE 

The Peace Summit is expected to come up with a raft of ideas that will see the region have a more localised intervention to that security issues that will promote peace in a sustained way. As a people of this region, we will propose from the summit a structure that will offer a different platform that is informed by the understanding of the region, the communities and the underlying causes of the conflict and come up with genuine and sustainable remedies.

SIGNING OF NOREB COOPERATION AGREEMENT

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STATEMENT BY THE NOREB SUMMIT LED BY H.E HON STEPHEN SANG NOREB CHAIRMAN DURING THE SIGNING OF THE COOPERATION AGREEMENT AT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF UASIN GISHU HEADQUARTERS – ELDORET.

WE have signed the cooperation agreement among the eight North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) counties, this agreement will activate a NOREB Bill that will be presented to the County Assemblies and form the basis under which NOREB will get a legal backing. NOREB have been in existence for more than five years without a legal framework. We have therefore come up with a NOREB Bill – 2023 that will be adopted and ratified by the various county governments.

Our bloc seeks to build on the competitive advantages of the differing economies of our counties through fostering intra-regional trade as well as taking advantage of  economies of scale from the various counties’. This region is known for pastoralism, Tourism, Agriculture, Logistics, Education, Health, Sports, ICT and other natural resources. The economic bloc is set to strengthen the North Rift Partner counties through trade and joint investments.

North Rift region has a diverse climatic conditions that enables the region to produce a wide range of products and services in the different sectors of the economy. There are certain areas within the region that experience famine and persistent drought hence there is need to undertake joint ventures to mitigate against effects of climate change and other challeges like insecurity and cattle rustling that is eating into our economy.

NOREB’s vision of creating a Haven of Economic Prosperity under our motor of “Growing Together” will be achieved when we widen and deepen our economic, social and cultural integration and enhance trade, investment, tourism, competitiveness and economies of scale through synergy while leveraging on the strength of individual counties.

The bloc will act as a one-stop shop for investors seeking opportunities in the region. The integration will also enable individual counties that are sometimes too small to leverage economies of scale, to jointly attract and implement large projects. The integration shall also be exercised in a way that supports national economic policies, our local economic activities across the county boundaries and the enhance national mobility of goods, services, capital or labour hence spur growth and transform lives of our people.

Through NOREB, we propose a sector approach model that will see each county championing a sector as follows;

Proposed Sector Champions

Sector

Trade, Investment & Urbanisation

Health

ICT & Digital Economy

Blue Economy

Livestock

Agriculture

Peace, Security & Cohesion

Climate Change

Sports & Tourism

Human Capital Development

Education

Infrastructure

Youth & Creative Industry

Gender

BANDITRY AND PEACE

As you are all aware, the national government is conducting a security operation to try and flush out the bandits and clear their cells within the five (5) North Rift Counties classified as disturbed since March 2023. We have been keenly following the operation at West Pokot, Turkana, Elgeiyo Mrakwet, Braingo and Samburu so that we take a complementary approach.

We have organised through NOREB a Peace Summit that will take pale in Trans Nzoia on 8th and 9th June, 2023. This is aimed at convening political leaders, community leaders and development actors in the region to develop and agree on a common approach that will ensure that there is long term peace in the region. We have talked to various partners who include religious organizations

The Peace Summit is expected to come up with a raft of ideas that will see the region have a more localised intervention to that security issues that will promote peace in a sustained way. As a people of this region, we will propose from the summit a structure that will offer a different platform that is informed by the understanding of the region, the communities and the underlying causes of the conflict and come up with genuine and sustainable remedies.

NOREB GOVERNORS

 

North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) plans to work with the Tourism Fund.

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North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) is working with the Tourism Fund and other partners to find ways of improving tourism activities and investments in the region. During a stakeholder meeting with the Tourism Fund in Eldoret, the board Chair Mr Samson Some assured that the Fund will work with NOREB in revamping tourism in the region.
NOREB Secretariat Meeting with The Tourism Fund Team lead by the Chair and CEO. 
The meeting was also attended by CECMs in charge of Tourism from Nandi – Alfred Lagat, Uasin Gishu -Eng Martha Jeruto, Baringo – Zackary K. Kobetbet and Elgeiyo Marakwet’s Robert Kangogo. The Executives committed to a regional approach on the innovative ways of improving, advertising and expanding tourism in the region.
The Ag CEO of NOREB Dr Godfrey Chesang elaborated the huge tourism potential in the NOREB region and promised to host more stakeholder engagement for a strategic harnessing of the opportunities. Also present was the Tourism Fund Ag CEO David Mwangi, Regional Manager Maureen Chacha among other national and county government officers.

Tourism Fund to partner with NOREB in profiling region tourist attractions

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File Photo

The North Rift region is rich in tourist attractions but its potential has not been fully exploited.

In seeking to draw a plan towards unpacking and showcasing what NOREB has to offer in cultural tourism, sports tourism, wildlife and nature tourism, medical, among other forms of tourism, Bloc CEO Dr. Dominic Biwott paid a courtesy visit to the Tourism Fund CEO Joseph Cherutoi.

The CEOs agreed to partner in profiling the North Rift tourism opportunities and in developing a tourism development and marketing strategy.

The partnership is expected to make significant progress in achieving its objectives within the first quarter of the current financial year.

Dr. Biwott was accompanied by NOREB County Assemblies Coordinator Joseph Makilap.