Governors sign agreement to introduce NOREB Bill, 2023, Promote Intra-Regional Trade
Uasin Gishu, Saturday May 13, 2023
KNA by Ekuwam Sylvester
Governors from the eight North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) counties of Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia and Samburu, have signed a Cooperation Agreement that 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.
In a statement by the Bloc Chairman, the Nandi Governor, Stephen Sang, during the signing of the Cooperation Agreement at the County Government of Uasin Gishu Headquarters, Eldoret, he pointed out that NOREB has been in existence for more than five-years without a legal framework.
The Bloc has come-up with a NOREB Bill, 2023, that will be adopted and ratified by the various county governments, as it seeks to build on the competitive advantages of the differing economies of the member counties, through fostering intra-regional trade, as well as taking advantage of economies- of- scale from the various counties.
He indicated that the Economic Bloc is set to strengthen the North Rift Partner counties, through trade and joint investments, as the region is renowned for pastoralism, Tourism, Agriculture, Logistics, Education, Health, Sports, ICT and other natural resources.
“North Rift Region has a diverse climatic condition 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 challenges like insecurity and cattle rustling that is eating into our economy,” he said.
The NOREB Chairperson indicated that 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, local economic activities across the county boundaries, to the enhance national mobility of goods, services, capital or labour, hence spur growth and transform lives of the people.
“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,” noted Sang.
The NOREB governors propose a sector approach model that will see each county championing in specific sectors like Trade, Investment and Urbanisation,
The NOREB Summit also deliberated on the issue of insecurity in the five of the North Rift Counties classified as disturbed since March 2023 and which the National Government is conducting a security operation, to try and flush out the bandits.
The governors said that they have been keenly following the operation at West Pokot, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and Samburu, so that they may take a complementary approach.
As a result, the governors have organised through NOREB, a Peace Summit that will take place in Trans Nzoia on 8th and 9th June, 2023 to find a lasting solution to the insecurity menace in the Region.
The Peace Summit will bring on board 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,” alluded Governor Sang.
“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,” he said.
Courtesy; K.N.A
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