William Ruto, the Kenyan president, is currently on a mission to the United States with the aim of promoting his country as a technology hub in Africa. His visit to Silicon Valley, California, was an opportunity for him to meet the leaders of tech giants such as Apple, Intel, Google and Microsoft.
During his meetings, William Ruto praised Kenya’s strengths in political stability, skilled labor, renewable energy, as well as the importance of mobile phones and the Internet in the country. . He also highlighted the success of M-Pesa, a very popular mobile payment system in Kenya.
However, this visit was not without controversy. Indeed, the Kenyan government recently doubled the tax on digital services, from 1.5% to 3%. This increase targets companies that take advantage of online services, including tech giants. Despite this, President Ruto has promised a business-friendly economic environment.
This visit is part of the Kenyan president’s desire to strengthen Kenya’s position as a technological center in Africa. Many large American companies, such as Microsoft, have already established themselves in the country and others could follow. According to the Kenyan presidency, Apple has even expressed interest in opening a developer academy in Kenya.
This charm offensive by President Ruto aims to attract foreign investment in Kenya’s technology sector and boost the country’s economic development. With its business-friendly environment, skilled workforce and growing mobile market, Kenya is positioning itself as a serious competitor in Africa’s tech space.
In conclusion, William Ruto’s visit to Silicon Valley is an important step in Kenya’s efforts to become a technology hub in Africa. The country offers many advantages to companies in the sector and seeks to attract foreign investors. It remains to be seen whether these meetings will lead to concrete partnerships and whether Kenya will be able to realize its ambition of becoming a major tech player on the African continent.