Migori County to host 11th LREB summit

Migori County will for the first time have an opportunity of hosting the  Lake Region Economic Block summit (LREB).

LREB is one of the six economic blocks in Kenya which consists of 14 counties which coordinate and facilitated service delivery and development of the member counties.

While talking about the preparedness ahead of hosting the summit, Governor Ochilo Ayacko admitted his excitement.

He said that the visit of the heads of 14 counties in Migori will be a positive move to make them discuss matters of economy, climate change and the blue economy.

The summit will begin from 14th March to 16th March 2023.

“As a county, we are excited to be hosting the eleventh summit here in Migori starting from 14th March to 16th March.

We believe that when we come together, we are stronger, we are richer and we are more promising,” Governor Ochilo said.

The 11th Summit of the LREB, geared under the theme of partnership for sustainable development will look into the member counties’ responses to the blue economy and climate adaptation in the lake region.

The summit, therefore, will look into the individual and collective growth of the member counties while also looking at a better way of making cross-border resources economically viable.

Migori county boasts of its central placement among the 14 counties a part of the plenty of rainfall, and good soil for agricultural activities.

Its adjacency to Lake Victoria which makes its blue economy a central point for discussion in the rejuvenation of the blue economy.

The governor prospected the agricultural value addition especially sugarcane farming and the factories associated with sugarcane growing which requires reengineering.

this is in addition to rice farming in lower Kuja, gold mining in parts of Rongo, Kuria and Nyatike as well as potato production in parts of the Kuria region.

As a region, the summit will be prospecting the potential of Lake Victoria which borders a number of the member counties in terms of transport, and aquaculture which aims at having more fish for export.

The summit also aims at making good use of the presence of the airstrips and roads which are crossing the borders of most member counties.

All these are aimed to boost international trade between Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and beyond.

” We are looking at the possibilities of tourism, water and sports as well as the shared airstrips.

Oil pipelines and the possibility of being the launchpad of international trade in the region between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda,” said Ochillo.

“We are the counties that can be the launchpad of cross-border trade because of our geographical connection and strategical placement between the East African Community member states,” added the governor.

LREB CEO

Ayacko was in the company of Mr Victor Nyagaya, the Chief Executive Officer of the LREB.

Nyagaya said that the summit will flag off a number of development projects in line with the vision of the economic block.

“We need to have sufficiency in the production of energy within the block so that we have enough production of greener energy to support both domestic and industrial activities,” said Mr Nyagaya.

He admitted that the block has achieved so much since its inception, the smart start initiative which takes care of children from inception to three years being an example of such key achievements.

Mr Nyagaya anticipated the upscale of the smart start projects which are now at six member counties to cover all the member counties.

This is an initiative which aims at giving maternal care right from inception.

The summit also aims at unveiling the technology for transporting drugs to various hospitals.

This will be the first in the region among other projects such as local planning in line with the pillars of the block, which are agriculture, health and infrastructure.