Kenya lauds Chinese enterprises' help for local communities

Source: Xinhua| 2019-08-27 23:55:05|Editor: Yamei
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KENYA-NAIROBI-CHINESE ENTERPRISES-SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REPORT-LAUNCH

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng speaks during a ceremony to launch the 2018-2019 Social Responsibility Report in Nairobi, Kenya, on Aug. 27, 2019. Efforts by Chinese enterprises to help Kenyan communities have created jobs, transferred skills and eased poverty for local citizens, Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya Ababu Namwamba told the launch of the report on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

NAIROBI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Efforts by Chinese enterprises to help Kenyan communities have created jobs, transferred skills and eased poverty for local citizens, a Kenyan official said on Tuesday.

"The CSR (corporate social responsibility) activities of Chinese firms are an example of shared prosperity whereby the peoples of Kenya and China are both benefiting from the relationship," Ababu Namwamba, chief administrative secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya, told the launch of the 2018-2019 Social Responsibility Report.

The report was the second to be compiled by the Kenya China Economic and Trade Association (KCETA).

These CSR endeavors are positively impacting on locals, Namwamba said.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng said there are more than 400 Chinese businesses operating in Kenya, creating nearly 130,000 jobs for locals.

In 2018, KCETA members spent more than 7.8 billion shillings (75 million U.S. dollars) to help local communities improve education and raise living conditions by building roads and water infrastructure, Wu said.

"These social responsibilities carried out by Chinese companies contributed to the deepening of people-to-people bonds between China and Kenya, laying a solid foundation for cooperation in all aspects between our two countries," he said.

The development of bilateral ties and the success of the Belt and Road Initiative depend fundamentally on whether China and Kenya can enhance mutual understanding between the people, and establish a network for cultural integration and social exchange, Wu said.

Kenya, as a historic key point and natural extension of the Maritime Silk Road, has become an important participant of the Belt and Road Initiative and the gateway for more Chinese enterprises to enter the African market, the Chinese ambassador said.

The KCETA report, titled "Working Together for a Brighter Shared Future," said Chinese firms are actively aligning their efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by placing their own development within the context of global sustainable development.

"As part of their strategy to contribute to the SDGs, they leverage their business expertise to promote local social and economic progress and strive to create greater social value for communities where they operate," the report said.

Chinese firms promote gender equality and empowerment of girls by providing equal learning and career development opportunities for both men and women, it said.

According to the report, Chinese enterprises in Kenya have adopted a proactive approach to environmental impact management by incorporating energy conversation and environmental protection into their day-to-day operations.

The KCETA is a non-governmental organization composed of Chinese enterprises operating in Kenya. It now has a membership of 106 enterprises.

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