Speech Short Version for the Asal Event

8/13/2019 Speech Short Version for the Asal Event

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KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY MS. ANNE WAIGURU (OGW),CABINET SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF DEVOLUTION ANDPLANNING, AT THE SECOND NATIONAL ASALSTAKEHOLDER FORUM SEPTEMBER 30 TO OCTOBER 1,2013, AT KCB LEADERSHIP CENTRE KAREN

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It gives me great pleasure to be here with you this morning,

for the official opening of the Second National ASAL

Stakeholder Forum (ASF! I take this opportunity to thank

you for participating in this important annual meeting! I '4"

e"tend my sincere gratitude to the Steering #ommittee led

by the

#hairperson, $rofessor Abdi %uliye for organi&ing the

meeting and for hosting us!

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'e have been provided a platform for a crosspollination of

ideas on development and investment opportunities in the

Arid and SemiArid

Lands (ASALs counties! )he theme of the meeting9:K&$-ASAL4; T#& E8&5*$5 F"$*& " O++"$**&4 $D&/&'"+8&$


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Let us have dialogue on how to achieve accelerated and

sustainable development in the -. ASAL counties in the

shortest time! ASALs constitute appro"imately /01 of

2enyas land mass and are home to about -01 of our

population! Nearly 301 of the national livestock and wildlife

population are raised here! )he region has a ma*or

comparative advantage in tourism, minerals and renewable

energy, and it is strategically located as a gateway to

markets beyond 2enyas eastern and northern borders!

)he counties with the highest levels of poverty against most

human development indicators are in the arid lands! )hey5


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display significant levels of ine4uality when compared with

nonarid counties and with the national average! )he

ecosystems are most vulnerable due to climate change thus

compounding developmental challenges! )he impact of

historical underinvestment in the arid lands, particularly in

infrastructure, services, and the livestock sector has been a

ma*or downturn!

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)hat notwithstanding, there is recognition across the board

that ASALs need targeted policies to deal with the uni4ue

development challenges! )he days when ASALs were

downgraded as 5'"= +"&$*'> areas are no more since

their development has been institutionali&ed within the

#onstitution!

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6evolution presents countless opportunities for minorities

and the marginali&ed communities! %overnance can now be

adapted to the uni4ue characteristics of the region! 'e know

pastoral systems do not always correlate precisely with

administrative boundaries! 7nder devolution, interests of all

communities are now substantially represented! 8ffectivemanagement of pastoral mobility and natural resource

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management through intercounty linkages are at the

moment possible! )he %overnments commitment to

devolution is resolute!

Strong relationships between the National and #ounty

%overnments are essential in order to manage these

dynamics of devolution! A number of deliberate policy

initiatives are being implemented to facilitate an

environment free of ine4ualities and marginali&ation! It is

important to ac4uaint yourselves with them!

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Among the key policy documents guiding the accelerated

development of the ASAL include9 the #onstitution of 2enya

-0:0, ;ision -0.0 6evelopment Strategy for Northern 2enya

and other Arid Lands, National $olicy for the Sustainable

6evelopment of Northern 2enya and other Arid Lands in

addition to other sectoral policies!


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to >drought risk management and ending drought

emergencies?!

)he priorities are many and range from moderni&ing

infrastructure and agriculture9 improving the business

environment9 creating more *obs for youth9 ensuringaffordable credit for youth and women enterprises9

promoting e4uitable resource distribution through

devolution9 provision of water for irrigation and human use9

and deepening economic and political relations with our

neighbours! 'e have to invest in the structures and systems

needed to spur productivity and innovation!11


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Accelerated and wellcoordinated public sector investment is

the fundamental foundation for development! $articipatory

planning for ASAL development will enhance accountability,

mainstream climate adaptation and build stakeholderconsensus around development plans!

)he


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transformation structures to ensure that resources are better

aligned with the priorities of communities in the ASALs, and

that they accommodate the important realities of life in

these areas, such as their sparse and often mobile

populations!

)he ASF, as one of the ASAL transformation structures is an

essential part of the institutional framework for ASAL

development! It is meant to bring together all the various

stakeholders in the arid and semiarid lands in efforts to13


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achieve harmoni&ed and coordinated development activities!

)herefore, it provides a framework for different development

actors in the ASALs to engage with each other and with the

government, create greater synergy in interventions and

share e"periences, with a view to sustained collaborative

partnerships and optimi&ation of resources!

)he other transformation structures are the ASAL #abinet

Subcommittee9 ASAL Interministerial #oordination

#ommittee9 ASAL )echnical #oordination #ommittee9 and the

ASAL Secretariat!

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I reiterate that no single institution can reverse the depth of

the challenges in the ASALs! It has to be a multi sectoral

stakeholder approach and I encourage you to partner with

us! )hat will allow effective mainstreaming of policies,

programs and operations with longterm re4uirements for

sustainable development! Furthermore, it will leverage

private sector investment and ma"imi&e the potential of the

ASALs for the economy as a whole!

It is my hope that during this meeting, you will come to an

understanding on the best way to harmoni&e your work! It

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should remain a place where discourse on ASAL matters can

be advanced, a space for innovation and sharing with diverse

voices being heard and consensus built! )his is your Forum

and I encourage members to support it and reach out to their

respective private sector contacts to participate in the

forums activities! @ou must take ownership and set the

pace!

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Let me share with you some of the e"citing initiatives the

%overnment is implementing and which stand to benefit

ASAL communities! H*4 E6%&''&$%- #& P&4*&$

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to benefit the youth and women! Seventy five percent of the

money will be distributed e4ually among all the #ounties and

the remaining twenty five percent will be allocated to

constituencies according to the poverty inde"!

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)he poorest constituencies, as determined by the

#ommission on evenue Allocation, will get a bigger share,

serving as an affirmative action effort for counties that have

been previously marginali&ed! )he money is available to the

youth and women in the form of grants and credit! )he

money will be distributed at the #onstituency level, a

process that will be managed by a representative

#onstituency 7we&o Fund


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with disability, .01 of all public procurement spend which is

worth about 2sh -00 billion!

I should emphasi&e that all resources dedicated to improve

the lives of our people must be managed prudently! I

recogni&e that for effective utili&ation of the funds,

communities will have to be empowered with relevant skills

and capacities!


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As we forge ahead, let us bear in mind that ASALs are an

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In conclusion, I wish to e"press an appreciation for the

support provided by our partners to our country in this

regard and to the hosting of the meeting! I wish you a

successful meeting and I look forward to the outcome!

'ith these few remarks, I hereby declare the Second

National ASAL4 S"'&4 F"8 officially opened!

T#$ Y".

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Speech Short Version for the Asal Event

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