Nairobi in final push to host big chambers forum

Kenya has embarked on the final leg of a diplomatic offensive in a bid to host the 2021 World Chamber Congress (WCC), Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) has said.

Chamber chief executive officer Angela Ndambuki in an interviewer with Smart Company said a delegation from the country’s trade lobby group has started the second and final phase of a shuttle diplomacy to secure more votes from UK, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Hungary, Belgium, Nigeria, South Africa, Mauritius, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, India, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey, China, Saudi, Qatar and Israel.

A delegation of the private sector players last September, led by KNCCI chairman Kiprono Kitonny, spearheaded the lobbying for the global forum slated for July 2021 at last year’s congress in Sydney, Australia.

“We have already secured some votes and are planning a shuttle diplomacy to secure more,” said Ms Ndambuki.

The 2021 congress, which is held every two years is earmarked to take place in either Africa or Middle East. Those in the race to host the event include Kenya, Iran, Jordan, Dubai, Ethiopia and Oman.

The KNCCI bidding committee team made its live presentation in China on April 10. Subsequently, it submitted its final bid book to the WCC jury members on April 24 and is now awaiting the final verdict.

The online voting platform to jury members was opened on April 25 and balloting will end on 24th May after which results will be announced 10 days later.

KNCCI is betting on Nairobi’s improved standing in hosting high level international conferences to bag the event.

The country has hosted the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, the Global Partnership on Effective Development Co-Operation’s High Level-Meeting and the African Caribbean and Pacific Assemblies Association which brought together parliamentarians from 79 countries.