This week marks an important event in the Kenyan business world; the President of the United States (POTUS) is visiting the country for The Global Entrepreneurship Summit. The president, who is the son of a Kenyan man and a lady from the United States, has previously visited Kenya albeit in different government positions. His first trip was in 1987, then later in the year 2006, this time as a US senator.
Air Force 1 landed in the country on Friday with President Obama on board who is in Kenya for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES2015) which will open on Saturday and close on Sunday; the Global Entrepreneurship Summit brings together business owners, educators, policy makers and investors to support the growth of new enterprises in developing regions. A group of wealthy Chinese investors will be scouting for deals, they promised to pour money into the Kenyan economy and widen its focus to include energy (pursuit of green energy resources), investments financial, manufacturing, real estate, IT and retail.
Ahead of President Obama’s visit, Kenya had cleaned its capital Nairobi and major roads to be used by President’s Obama’s motorcade cordoned off along with major streets in the CBD. Kenya has been the scene of several attacks by Somali-based, Al-Qaeda linked, Muslim terrorist group Al-Shabaab, the government has spent millions sprucing up the roads and beefing up security in the city too. Kenyans are excited to have the President of the United States here.
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is co-hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Summit on a television brief said that, Obama’s visit would focus on more critical issues such as the war on terrorism and investment, ignoring controversial issues that may cloud the trip.
The Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which is one of the largest gatherings of entrepreneurs, innovators, government leaders and youth, will host an estimated 1400 delegates from all over the globe. Kenyans, we have the opportunity to learn from this experience and interact with some of the world’s best business development experts and leaders, and to share with them our own achievements and success stories.