Snapshot Africa: Benchmarking FDI Competitiveness in sub-Saharan African countries, gives the country"s impressive port system as one of them. The availability of cold storage facilities and computerised port procedures, and a motivated staff happen to be very important considerations for investors.
So is the fact that Kenya is a member of the East African Community (EAC), where trade, according to the MIGA report, is expected to flow freely by 2013. The EAC is presently made up of Kenya Tanzania and Uganda. Rwanda and Burundi are aspiring to join to further boost the strength of the region.
The other reason that makes Kenya attractive is its membership of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA). The estimated total population of the region is 385 million provides an impressive consumer base. Add these to the highly skilled human resource capital and the availability of international transportation infrastructure, and you end up with a regional business hub.
The MIGA report analyses investment prospects for nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya being among them. The other countries studied are Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda.
Incidentally, Snapshot Africa investment findings on Kenya tie with those of The Steadman Group, a research firm based in Nairobi. According to a report released early February by the group, Kenya managed an investor confidence of 70 percent. This means that the country is considered safe to invest in.
The Steadman report is a product of a study launched two years ago to collect views on investment environment from sampled African countries. It is therefore not pegged on rushed perceptions.
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