NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 12 - The International Trade Centre (ITC) has opened its first-ever regional office outside Geneva, located at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON).
President William Ruto officiated the launch during the opening day of the East African Community (EAC) Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair, describing the move as a major milestone for East Africa's economic growth.
"We celebrate the establishment of this regional hub of ITC. This milestone is not for Kenya alone - it belongs to East Africa. It will bring global markets within our reach and to our producers," President Ruto said.
Earlier, ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton, together with UNON Director-General Zainab Bangura and UN Resident Coordinator Stephen Jackson, led a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new office.
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Coke-Hamilton hailed the development as "a major milestone" in ITC's mission to deepen relationships with countries and regions it serves.
"When deciding where to launch our first corporate office outside headquarters, it quickly became clear that Kenya -- where we already have an extensive footprint and deep relationships -- was the right choice," she said.
The opening builds on momentum from the EAC SME Ministerial Roundtable, co-organised by ITC and Kenya's Ministry of Cooperatives and MSME Development, following the Global SME Ministerial Meeting in Johannesburg in July.
The roundtable brought together government representatives, private-sector players, and multilateral institutions from over 15 countries to strengthen cooperation in SME development.
A joint communiqué -- signed by ITC, Kenya's Ministry of Cooperatives and MSME Development, and the EAC Secretariat -- was presented to President Ruto by Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya, affirming a regional commitment to advancing the competitiveness of small enterprises in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The communiqué will be tabled at the upcoming EAC Heads of State Summit later this month for inclusion in the chair's statement, marking a step toward elevating SME development to higher political significance across the region.
