Cooperation with Kenya highlighted during high-profile visit

The Innovation Hub recently hosted a Kenyan delegation visiting South Africa on a fact-finding mission to secure inter-governmental collaboration in science and technology (S&T) for their country. Their aim was to scope the possibilities for and encourage academic exchange programmes as well as joint research projects between South Africa and Kenya.

Seen here satisfied with an interesting and successful visit, are ltr Mr J B Ng'erechi, Senior Deputy Director of Technical Training (Leader of the delegation), Prof G K King'oriah, Secretary of the Kenyan National Council for Science and Technology,Mr B M Kitheka from the Kenyan Embasssy in South Africa, Mr Tsietsi Maleho, Stakeholder Manager at The Innovation Hub, Mr Nyikiwa Nico Rikhotso of the Kenyan Department of Science and Technology, and Mr C K Lagat, Principal of Eldoret Polytechnic at the University of Nairobi.

As a regional powerhouse in East Africa, with considerable S&T research capability, Kenya is the NEPAD Science and Technology Ministerial Bureau member chosen to host the next Ministerial S&T conference. It also sees South Africa as a strategic partner, having endorsed its bid to be the African site for the revolutionary Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope.

The delegation was led by the Kenyan Senior Deputy Director of Technical Training,
Mr J B Ng'erchi, accompanied by Prof G K King'oriah, Secretary of the Kenyan National Council for Science and Technology, Mr C K Lagat, the Principal of Eldoret Polytechnic and Mr B M Kitheka of the Kenyan Embassy in South Africa.

The delegation lauded the Gauteng Provincial Government's initiative of investing in strategic infrastructure development through projects such as The Innovation Hub. Similar initiatives in Kenya are the Kenyan Industrial Estates that were set up in 1970, and the Investment Promotion Centres (IPC). Real possibilities for cooperation between The Innovation Hub and Kenya were identified, particularly on methods of setting up high-tech industries and entrepreneurship development.

In addition to The Innovation Hub, the delegation visited the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI) and the Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute (ARC-VOPI) of the Agricultural Research Council, the CSIR and its Satellite Application Centre (CSIR-SAC), the Human Science Research Council (HSRC) and the National Laser Centre (NLC). They were particularly impressed by South Africa's ongoing research into indigenous medicinal plants that includes most of the species found in Kenyan ecosystems.

For more information contact Tsietsi Maleho at The Innovation Hub,
tel +27 12 349 0386.

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