Kisumu County Governor Professor Anyang’ Nyong’o and the President of Rabat Rachid El Abdi signed a bilateral deal aimed to define a framework between Kisumu and Morocco’s Regional Council of Rabat-sale-Kenitra.
“It is, therefore, my belief that this journey of bilateral cooperation and partnership we are embarking on today through the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding will broaden and deepen the relationship between our local governments while providing a strategic framework for promoting and developing an environment of mutuality in furthering the exchange of beneficial socio-economic agenda,” said Prof. Nyong’o.
El Abdi said that as a regional government they were emulating a policy by King Mohammed the VI to establish stable relationships between Morocco and African countries.
Governor Nyong’o stated that he was impressed by Morocco’s economic achievement in the past decade of evolution.
Also present at the signing of the agreement, was the outgoing Moroccan Ambassador to Kenya, Mokhtar Gambou. “I also want to thank Ambassador Dr. Mokhtar Gambou who worked tirelessly over the past two years to make this exchange happen, but thanks to COVID-19 containment strategies, it was postponed thrice. I think on hand sight nature was waiting for you to take office for this to happen,” said Prof. Nyong’o.
The project will cost Ksh.40 million and is is geared towards having a transformed waterfront that is economically inclusive and environmentally sustainable which was broken down into four sustainable operational pillars.
The pillars include; infrastructure which aims at reclaiming and strengthening the lake shoreline and construction of a non-motorized promenade, marine business and trade with interventions in transport and marinas and fish processing, environment focusing on ecotourism, lakefront beautification and climate change mitigation, and support services with a focus to delineation and gazettement of geographical spheres of operation.
Present at the ceremony was Devolution Principal Secretary for Devolution, Julius Korir and said Kenya was committed to developing the country as the frontiers for its economic renewal.
