JITAP Kenya

Counterpart Organisations

JITAP implementation started in Kenya in 1998. With its comprehensive approach to trade development and the existing institutional base in the country, it succeeded in rapidly contributing to the integration of the country into the new MTS.

the country achieved much. JITAP has been successful in building national capacity for understanding the implications of the WTO Agreements and the emerging MTS for the National economy and external trade. It has also enhanced the country’s participation in the ongoing multilateral trade negotiations. Technical assistance was provided for: strengthening the existing support framework for the Government to meet its MTS obligations and exercise its rights under a rule based system, understanding markets and developing sector strategies. The work done contributed to building the knowledge base of relevant counterpart institutions. All planned activities in the country were completed by December 2002.

1/ MTS Institutional support, Compliance, Policies, and negotiations: JITAP National Steering Committee, which has 14 members, managed JITAP activities in the country. IIC and its subcommittees contributed to the development of the national negotiating positions at the WTO and in dealing with notification requirements.

2/ Strengthening MTS Reference Centres, and NEPs on TBT and SPS: The three Reference Centres: at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) for official use, at the Kenya Institute of Business Training (KIBT) for the academia, and at the EPC Centre1 for the business community are functional and managed by qualified staff who have been trained by JITAP. All Centres have been active in developing public awareness on WTO Agreements and have achieved a level of sustainability.

3/ Enhancing MTS Knowledge and Networks: 116 persons received intensive training in Kenya on MTS issues. . 41 persons were trained through other programmes catalysed by JITAP. All of these experts are members of the IMUTSAR, which is a key institution created as a result of work under JITAP and constitutes the network of trainers.

The country benefited from its participation in nine specialized sub-regional workshops and the Geneva Training course, all organized by JITAP, to improve the knowledge of participants on MTS issues, share experiences, and to enhance its participation in the ongoing multilateral trade negotiations.

4/ Product and Services Sector Strategies: Sector strategies, along with action plans for their implementation, have been developed using ITC’s seven step methodology based on a “bottom up” approach under the guidance of a “Coach” for: Fish, and Horticulture2 products. All technical work was done by sector counterpart teams (SCTs), which are public-private sector partnerships.

1 The business community RC at EPC is now fully integrated with EPC’s own Centre for business information.

2 As a recognition of the importance that UNDP Kenya accords to the Sector Strategy Formulation work under JITAP, it provided SPPD funds to develop sector strategy for Horticulture.