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Residents of Machakos County have been urged to take advantage of the emerging opportunities in the digital economy to create job opportunities for the youth.

Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi, speaking during a County Digitization Forum held at a Machakos hotel, said the country must now go back to the drawing board and think of alternative ways of job creation while also empowering businesses to enhance access to capital and make them more innovative and competitive.

The forum was convened by the Ajira Digital Programme in partnership with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), under the theme: Digital Transformation for SMEs and Job Creation for Machakos People.

Mwangangi said that, in line with their campaign manifesto of expanding opportunities and having a working population with a decent living, they were keen to work with several partners, including KEPSA, Mastercard, and the World Bank.

He pointed out that as a county government, they will explore institutional frameworks that support growth and adoption of digital technologies and also partner with the national government through fibre connections, thus creating efficient systems and improving economic growth in Machakos.

‘In a period that is engulfed by rapid technological evolution, the ability of government and businesses to adapt and harness digital transformation is critical to societal success,’ he said.

On his part, KEPSA Director of Youth Employment and Digital Economy Dr. Ehud Gachugu said part of the work they do is to support the Kenyan Government in the creation of jobs for young people.

Gachugu said that as the private sector, they have a crucial role to play because they work together with county governments, development partners, and other actors in the economy to make sure they are inclusive and driving the agenda as a united front.

He highlighted that they were in Machakos to improve the county’s prospects by digitally transforming businesses using digital technology so that they can become globally competitive, expand their market, and increase job opportunities.

He said they cannot drive any development without the creativity and talent in Machakos because young people have an opportunity to be innovative and solve business problems facing businesses, especially small enterprises, while making sure they are leveraging technology.

‘Young people are able to see the world through different lenses and are able to solve complex problems facing businesses, so they are best suited to work together with traders who are willing to take advantage of the globalised market, which can only happen if young people are at the centre of all our discussions,’ he added.

The director emphasised that part of their job is also to enable young people to have the right mindset to be job creators and be able to solve problems.

He added that for the Ajira digital programme, they train young people on relevant digital skills such as cybersecurity, software development, and coding, which are relevant for businesses, organisations, and governments.

Other leaders who were present included Machakos town MCA and majority leader Nzioka Wangondi, Chief Officer for ICT Ian Obare, and his digital economy counterpart Sheikh Ifran.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, said women’s full inclusion in all aspects of society’s life is indispensable to meeting the global target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in 2030.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen was speaking at the event that was organized by Ethiopia under the theme “Dealing Financial Inclusion for Women: Insights and Lessons from Ethiopia,” according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He stated at an event organised by the Ethiopian Permanent Mission to the UN and attended by UN member states and UN agency representatives that proper women’s representation is critical to tapping the country’s full potential.

The Government of Ethiopia is committed to ensuring sustainable growth by implementing financial inclusivity, he said.

The UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Moez Doraid, commended Ethiopia for taking this initiative and underlined the necessity of ensuring digital connectivity.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen is in New York participating at the 78th General Assembly of the UN.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Interior and National Administration CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki has said the newly opened Baringo general service unit camp will deal with wrongdoers to restore lasting peace in the volatile region.

Kindiki, who was addressing residents Friday when he officially opened the Akwichatis GSU camp in the Akwichatis location in Tiaty West sub-county, said criminals who were used to killing security officers would not be spared by the government.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki accompanied by Tiaty MP William Kamket poses for a photo with residents when he officially opened the Akwichatis GSU camp, at Akwichatis location, Silale ward, Tiaty west sub-county on Friday September 22, 2023.Photo by Caroline Cherono.

‘We have come here to make sure there is peace and development. I have also secured four extra camps apart from Akwichatis: Amaya camp, Nadome camp, Kongir camp, and Korelach camp, which will help in quick response in case of a security issue,’ he said.

The CS added that the vast sub-county is set to get three additional divisions, namely Silale, Akwichatis, and Orus, which will be gazetted next week, and on the pipeline is Tiaty Central Sub-County to ease service delivery and governance for area residents.

He added that the areas gazetted early this year as disturbed and dangerous areas would remain so, and no one was allowed to move there for grazing animals in a bid to end the cattle rustling menace, while noting that the camps would also ensure the recovery of livestock stolen and the capture of the criminals.

Tiaty MP William Kamket asked the CS to increase the number of NPRs to work with the GSU in dealing with the security situation in the region.

‘I want to urge the CS to support the purchase of boarding facilities, including mattresses and beds, at Akwichatis Primary School to enable the retention of kids in school. We also want to request that the government build roads to enable businesses to thrive,’ Kamket said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, said women’s full inclusion in all aspects of society’s life is indispensable to meeting the global target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in 2030.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen was speaking at the event that was organized by Ethiopia under the theme “Dealing Financial Inclusion for Women: Insights and Lessons from Ethiopia,” according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He stated at an event organised by the Ethiopian Permanent Mission to the UN and attended by UN member states and UN agency representatives that proper women’s representation is critical to tapping the country’s full potential.

The Government of Ethiopia is committed to ensuring sustainable growth by implementing financial inclusivity, he said.

The UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Moez Doraid, commended Ethiopia for taking this initiative and underlined the necessity of ensuring digital connectivity.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen is in New York participating at the 78th General Assembly of the UN.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The second-round tripartite negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) kicked off in Addis Ababa today.

The tripartite talks will mainly deliberate on the first filling and annual operation, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In his opening speech, Ethiopia’s negotiating team leader Ambassador Sileshi Bekele this discussion has come after the successful fourth-round filling of the GERD carried out in line with the 2015 Declaration of Principles.

The team leader expressed his belief that the countries will exert tireless efforts to reach agreement on the issues during this round of discussion.

According to him, the only option is to implement the principle of fair and rational use of Nile water as stipulated in the Declaration of Principles.

Egypt Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam and Sudan Acting Minister of Water Dawelbeit Abdelrahman Mansour Bashir on their part expressed their strong hope to reach an agreement.

Ethiopia is committed to reaching a negotiated and amicable solution through the ongoing trilateral process.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to expand multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen conferred with Foreign Minister of UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan today in New York.

The two sides deliberated on a host of bilateral and regional issues of common interest today in New York.

The meeting took place in the aftermath of the official visit by President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Ethiopia.

Sheikh Al Nahyan was also briefed about the role of Ethiopia in the upcoming COP-28 Conference, which will take place in the UAE at the end of this year.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonen, in his statement to the UN General Assembly today, has called on the international community to realize that humanity is at a critical juncture where all must come together for a unity of purpose for peace and prosperity.

The deputy premier stressed the need to ask for having the necessary political will to choose the global partnership over geopolitical competition at a time when the world is faced with a multitude of challenges in such times.

He further emphasized the need for cooperation in mitigating climate change, de-escalating nuclear weapons-related tensions, and working on reforms in the UN and international financial institutions for the sake of the wellbeing of humanity.

Speaking on the Sustainable Development Goals, Demeke said the progress towards achieving them is off track, pushing the objective of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030 even further behind.

The deputy premier, who recounted Ethiopia’s measures to align its 10-year Development Plan with the SDGs, has called for a renewed global partnership and firm political commitment to realize the objectives.

In his remarks about climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, Demeke noted the need for support for Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative.

He also emphasized the need for institutional reform in the United Nations in general and the Security Council in particular.

Reforming the Security Council is not a choice, but an absolute necessity which requires the politically and morally justified allocation of permanent seats to Africa.

Emphasizing Ethiopia’s commitment to peace, the deputy prime minister mentioned the Pretoria Peace Agreement.

According to him, the agreement is a practical embodiment of “African Solutions to African Problems.”

In connection with regional peace and integration, Demeke called for coordinated efforts for peace initiatives in Sudan.

As part of the demonstration to Ethiopia’s commitment to expedite regional integration, he mentioned the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as a demonstration of the legitimate development aspirations of Ethiopians and the region at large.

Furthermore, Demeke pointed out the crucial role international financial institutions are expected to play in augmenting the efforts of developing countries to take debt relief measures and provide development finance.

The international financial architecture should be reformed with special considerations for Africa’s needs and priorities, he underlined.

The general debate of the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly will continue up to Tuesday, 26 September 2023.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency