Malindi to sign trade deal with Italian city

Malindi town is embracing the green, white and red Italian flag. The town will sign a co-operation agreement with the district of Lombardy.

That agreement could spur Italian investment and increase tourists arrivals from the European nation.

Governor Amason Kingi announced the partnership yesterday pending formal signing planned for Tuesday next week when he leads a delegation to Italy. Mr Kingi said his administration will rebuild and beautify Malindi to make it attractive to investors and tourists.

“My administration had some talks with the officials of Lombardy, the richest district in Italy, and we agreed to partner and link the district and Malindi international tourist destination to improve on our business and attract more investors,” he said.

Kingi and his delegation will join other Kenyans exhibiting at the ongoing Milan Expo.

“Kenya is among the 100 countries that are members of the Milan Expo and as a county, we will use that opportunity like any other county to exhibit and show case our investments opportunities mostly those related to tourism promotion,” he said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is schedule to travel to Italy and officially open the expo before the government, private developers and counties in the country get a chance to exhibit and show case their business opportunities in the one week slot given to Kenya.

The governor said the partnership involves an exchange programme under which officials of both parties will interact, exchange ideas and learn from each other on different business and investment opportunities.

Create jobs

He said the partnership would create jobs for the youth because more tourism business will be opened up. Kingi said apart from having some officers from the county being taken for special training to gain necessary skills on how to manage the partnership programme, a special committee composed of officers from the county government and that of Lombardy in Italy will be established to ensure a smooth implementation and realise the targeted goals.

“The joint committee will ensure there are proper policies and guidelines to implement the programme and ensure it has an impact to the people,” he said.

The governor said signing of the deal between his administration and the officials of the Lombardy district in Italy does not give the Italians a monopoly in tourism and other investment opportunities.

Fair competition

Kingi said other countries that have been investing in Malindi in various different business sectors including tourism sector. They will continue to enjoy the same opportunities to ensure there is fair competition.

In July the Government announced the release of Sh5.2 billion for the tourism sector’s recovery programme.

Industry players were upbeat the sector that plunged to the lowest levels in the last two years following terror attacks in the country would recover quickly. More than 20 hotels in Malindi, Mombasa, Diani, Lamu and Watamu were closed as a result and over 30,000 hotel workers laid off.