Youth EconomicDialogues

The Alternatives Youth Economic Dialogues takes place in Nairobi County to facilitate interactions between young entrepreneurs and the public, and private sectors, to explore business opportunities in the big four agenda, even as they take their rightful place as bona-fide economic actors and stakeholders in the identification, exploitation and governance of economic opportunities and resources respectively.

During the 54^th Jamhuri day celebrations held on December 12, 2017, president Uhuru Kenyatta unveiled his development agenda dubbed the ‘big four’ – food security, affordable housing, manufacturing and universal healthcare.

He assured Kenyans that his government is dedicated to inclusive growth for accelerated socioeconomic transformation, towards the realization of Kenya’s economic blueprint, Vision 2030.

The president recognised the indispensable role of the youth in national development, noting that the big four agenda is centered around the youth driving the shift from divisive politics towards prosperity. “you are my partners”, declared his excellency, as he went on to pledge his administration’s commitment to supporting youth-owned enterprises to accelerate productivity and profitability towards job creation.

He further directed the ministry of trade and industry to establish an “SME support initiative” that will ease barriers that make it difficult to run and scale up youth-owned enterprises.

Indeed the youth are the solution they themselves have been seeking. Kenya’s young entrepreneurs must therefore seize the moment and take their rightful place as custodians and ambassadors of the big four agenda and most importantly, bona-fide economic actors and stakeholders in the identification, exploitation and governance of economic resources and opportunities.