Let’s seize investment opportunities in Somalia

The agreements signed during the event — covering areas such as finance, health, agriculture and security — clearly show that, in Somalia, Turkey sees a lot of potential for economic advancement.

Kenya seems to be blind to this vast potential. Besides deploying the Kenya Defence Forces to Somalia for security interests, Kenya does not seem to have a strategy for exploiting the investment potential there.

What are the government and organisations such as the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry — doing to ensure our investors seize the opportunities that abound in Somalia?

Are we content with merely restoring peace in Somalia, and at a very great social and financial cost, so that investors from other countries can go there and reap the benefits?

Kenya must lead the pack in investments in Somalia. For this to happen, we must upgrade our embassy in the neighbouring country, and provide it with the required quantity and quality of personnel.