Turkey to scale up Kenya investment

By James Ratemo

Turkey plans to scale up her investments in Kenya, particularly in infrastructure and processing industries.

Saying the investment plan was aimed at boosting trade relations, Ambassador Tuncer Kayalar cited the need for tomato paste processing and tea and coffee packaging plants to improve the competitiveness of Kenya’s exports.

Standard Group Deputy Chairman and Strategy Adviser Paul Melly (left) when he received Turkey’s ambassador Tuncer Kayalar at the Standard Group Centre Wednesday. [PHOTO: MAXWELL AGWANDA/STANDARD]

Speaking when he visited the Standard Group Centre yesterday, Mr Kayalar said his country was also seeking to invest in the construction sector.

The envoy said a trade fair would be held in Nairobi on June 22 to showcase Turkey’s trade and investment opportunities.

"We have seen huge potential in Kenya’s agro, textile and construction materials sectors," Kayalar said.

His country is considering production of organic tomatoes in addition to constructing the processing plant.

"We do not want Kenya to export raw materials," he explained.

Standard Group Deputy Chairman and Strategy Adviser Paul Melly lauded Turkey’s interest in Kenya.

Mr Melly said: "Kenya is strategically positioned to serve as a trading bridge between Turkey and East Africa." The chairman said Turkey was a major trading partner with Africa and has invested more than $17 billion in the continent.

"I hope our legislators will ensure Kenya has a constitution that guarantees national stability since investment can only thrive in a stable economic and political environment," explained Melly.

Melly urged legislators to sober up, and put self-interest aside to deliver a constitution that will serve many generations to come.

He said MPs have enormous responsibility to ensure a people-driven constitution is in place.

Political interests

"Legislators with short term political interests have no place in this process. The constitution is intended to serve several generations to come," argued the chairman.

Kayalar said Turkey was a key producer of construction materials and talks were under way with the Kenya Investment Authority on the possibility of establishing a local factory for construction materials.

"We want to add value to Kenya’s products so as to improve her export trade outside Africa. We see great opportunity in packaging and labelling of tea and other products to make them marketable internationally," said the ambassador.