By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, 3 July 2026 - The Turkana County Government has pledged to strengthen its partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to expand economic opportunities through the digital economy, artisanal work and beekeeping value chains.
The commitment was made during a courtesy meeting between County Secretary Dr. Richard Ekai and officials from ITC and KOICA, where the parties reviewed the progress of KOICA-funded programmes and discussed strategies to enhance collaboration aimed at improving livelihoods and creating sustainable income opportunities for residents.
Dr. Ekai emphasized the importance of aligning the ongoing interventions with the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and the national Shirika Plan to ensure long-term socio-economic benefits.
"The county appreciates the continued support from ITC and KOICA. The interventions are already transforming livelihoods and empowering the local population. However, greater impact will be achieved by aligning these initiatives with Turkana's development priorities as outlined in the CIDP," he said.
ITC National Coordinator Halkano Jillo Boru said the programme seeks to expand employment opportunities and raise household incomes by supporting entrepreneurs in key sectors.
He noted that the initiative builds on existing skills among local entrepreneurs engaged in digital business, handicrafts and beekeeping, while enhancing their competitiveness and linking them to national and international markets.
"The programme is designed to strengthen local enterprises and connect producers to broader markets where they can sell their products and increase their earnings," Boru said.
According to ITC, more than 1,000 micro-enterprises have already benefited from the programme through business training, participation in trade exhibitions, marketing support for artisan products and the development of the Turkana County Beekeeping Strategy.
KOICA Country Director Wankyu Park and Deputy Director Jooyoung Baek reaffirmed the agency's commitment to supporting inclusive economic growth through sustainable value chains.
"Our partnership focuses on creating sustainable economic opportunities for communities by investing in digital innovation, handicrafts and beekeeping," Park said.
Chief of Staff Peter Loyapan said the county government would mobilize small-scale traders across Turkana to take advantage of the programme to improve their business skills and expand market access.
The county's Director of Partnerships also commended the initiative, citing its positive impact and broad countywide reach.
The meeting was attended by KOICA Programme Manager Minju Kim, Programme Officer Anne Nding'o, ITC Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Janet Keru, Community Liaison Officer Julius Lokaale, Beekeeping Value Chain Specialist Dharmendra Rao, Deputy Director of Livestock Production Josephine Emase and other county government officials.
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