Kenya: When innovation and a clean economy meet



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By Silvana Kaparo

The Global Innovation Index, a respected international ranking of countries by their ability and success in innovation, published this week its 2018 report.

The Index, released jointly by the top business schools and the World Intellectual Property Organization is widely regarded as the highest international measure of innovation and ingenuity of a society, in based on 80 different indicators. So, when the GII speaks, sensitive observers listen.

This year, Kenya was ranked the third most innovative country in sub-Saharan Africa, behind South Africa and Mauritius. Kenya's special strengths include access to credit, innovation links and creative service exports, efficiency of the workforce, printing and other media, the IGI congratulating the country for its "high levels of innovation in relation to its level of development". are naturally quick to criticize when things go wrong, but we are a little slower to give credit when it is due.

In the modern global economy, the era of information, innovation is a key factor of economic growth.

INNOVATION

Innovation creates jobs, brings foreign exchange, attracts investment and builds Infrastructure. It is not surprising that the main GII countries – Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Singapore – are also among the world's leading per capita economies.

These are countries that generally lack natural resources. When President Uhuru Kenyatta came to power in 2013, Kenya was seventh in the region, lagging behind countries like Uganda, Senegal, Ghana and Botswana.

Overall, he was 99th. Today, we have surpbaded these countries, while surpbading 21 others and rising to 78.

This is part of a concerted effort by the government to advance Kenyan innovation and creativity .

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

The administration has made educational innovation promoting a key element of the national education system, the expansion of technical training institutes and training centers. professional training and support of innovation centers in educational institutions.

An important initiative was the creation of Enterprise Kenya. Supporting Young Entrepreneurs and Promoting and Supporting Initiatives such as Nairobi Innovation Week

In 2015, it also allowed the prestigious World Summit of Entrepreneurs in Nairobi to open the eyes of young Kenyans on the existing possibilities. opening of the national science and technology exhibition of young scientists from Kenya to Nairobi, President Kenyatta said that "the solution (to our challenges) lies in the scientific innovation and the Exploiting new ideas that allow Kenya to jump directly to new technologies. "

But promoting innovation is not enough to develop our economy and build a better future.

CORRUPTION [19659017] As long as corruption is widespread, the gains in our small and medium-sized businesses and creative industries will not take us far.

Young innovators, creators of tomorrow's jobs, will simply leave the country they see that the only way to succeed is from the transplant.

It's perhaps why the second Kenyatta government has made the eradication of corruption a key strategic goal, the president describing corruption as "a vice that prevents us from developing our country and protecting the next generation. "

And in recent months, there have been significant signs that we are on the right track."

Dozens of Public Servants Arrested and New Director of Public Prosecutions Suspects Corruption a new Director of Public Prosecutions

New anti-corruption measures announced by the President – including lifestyle audits for all officials and new control of public procurement officials.

Ms. Kaparo is banker

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