RESOLUTIONS BY LAKE REGION ECONOMIC BLOC (LREB) SUMMIT AFTER A MEETING HELD AT NANDI BEARS CLUB, NANDI COUNTY
The Governors held various pre-summit activities including a meeting with members of LREB county assemblies’ forum, Peace and reconciliation meetings with the elders from LREB member counties, Pillar committee meetings and a pre-summit meeting with private sector representatives, development partners and the National government led by Devolution and ASAL CS Eugene Wamalwa. The following resolutions were made:
▪LREB will double efforts towards the Bank project. The bloc is on course towards establishment of the LREB regional bank.
》Following consultations with the relevant statutory bodies, LREB has agreed to register a Joint Venture as an investment vehicle for the bank.
》 The total financial commitment towards the exercise from member counties is standing at 1.4 billion shillings within the 2018-2019 financial year.
▪LREB will continue to work with the National Government and welcomes the latter’s initiative through the Ministry of Devolution Arid and Semi-Arid Lands to establish a National legal framework for Regional Blocs.
▪LREB recognizes and embraces peace and reconciliation efforts within the region. It therefore held a peace and reconciliation meeting with elders from Nandi, Kisumu, Kakamega, Nyamira and Kericho Counties. As part of LREB’s objective, promotion of inter county comity is fundamental. LREB is not only committed to engage with the elders in peace efforts but also to involve women and youth in regional conflict resolutions and peace efforts.
▪LREB will work together with member Counties’ Assemblies towards the ratification process of the LREB Bill 2018 and is glad that Kakamega County has already ratified the Legal Instrument and most of member County Assemblies are at various stages of legislation and passage. The LREB Counties’ Assemblies have resolved to have the Bloc fully ratified by the end of October, 2018.
▪LREB will continue the High level discussions on the Sugar sector Revival. The bloc has also directed the LREB agriculture pillar to consider the emerging sector issues and keep track of progress and further agreed to lead negotiations with millers and farmers and to have a ‘Windsor II’ meeting.
▪LREB has adopted the Vision 2030 Kisumu Special Economic Zone as the joint bloc Vision.
▪LREB shall hold its Inaugural LREB Trade Investment and Blue Economy Conference for the Bloc at the IAAF stadium in Bomet County on 23rd to 26th October, 2018. The Conference theme is *“Optimizing Utilization of shared Resources for Prosperity Under the Big Four Agenda”* . LREB therefore take this early opportunity to invite everyone to Join the bloc in Bomet as it showcases investment opportunities available in the region.
▪ LREB next summit meeting will be held in Kisii County on 7th December 2018.
