Ruto thanks tech savvy youth for making Kenya an ICT destination

By Peter Ochieng

President William Ruto says Kenya’s global and continental leadership in Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) is growing, attracting the biggest technology companies in the world.

Speaking at the launch of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) development centre in Nairobi, Ruto said the country’s conducive investment climate and tech savvy youth had made this possible.

“Kenya has emerged as one of the most exciting frontiers of global tech competitiveness, with a high revolutionary potential across all sectors,” he said.

“Technology is a crucial enabler for the country’s economic growth,” he added.

The centre is Amazon’s second in Africa after the one in South Africa. It will provide young people with cloud computing skills and serve as a base for Amazon to extend its African footprint.

“This Centre affirms Kenya’s attractiveness as an investment destination and recognises the opportunities in our digital and ICT sectors,” noted the Head of State.

Two weeks ago, President met AWS executives in New York, US. “We agreed that Kenya will develop and sustain a conducive business environment that will allow them to expand their investment in Kenya,” he said.

“We will continue investing in education and building partnerships so that we can develop expertise to meet the needs of companies like Amazon,” he added, according to a dispatch from State House, Nairobi.

US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman said the launch of the centre is an endorsement of Kenya’s conducive business environment.

“AWS is one of the most important tech companies in the world; the fact that they have decided to set up a development centre in Kenya speaks volumes about this country and this administration,” said the Ambassador.

On his part, AWS regional lead, public sector sub-Sahara, Robin Njiru lauded the government’s efforts to build a conducive environmental for foreign owned firms.