The hosting of the Netherlands Alumni forum last December for Kenyans who studied in the Netherlands, in one way or another, goes a long way to showcase what the Kingdom of Netherlands and the Republic of Kenya can offer each other not only in economy and trade but also in education and cultural exchange. It was a key milestone in cementing the existing cordial relationship between Kenya and the Royal Kingdom of Netherlands.
Speaking during the event, H.E. Frans Makken, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kenya and alumnus of Groningen University noted that the Dutch education and experience has helped to propel prominent people, investors and leaders in the Kenyan society to greater heights in their professional lives.
The Ambassador observed that the event attracted professionals from diverse professional spheres such as; governance, journalism, agribusiness, water, trade, legal, finance and infrastructure who learnt the Dutch experience and who are willing to share the new-found knowledge and skills in order to help Kenya move to the next phase in her economic growth and development.
He acknowledged the progress Kenya has made to become a lower middle income country with a Gross Domestic Product in excess of $63.4 billion, climbing 21 places to position 92 on the Ease of Doing business index, becoming the third most reformed country in the areas of starting a business, obtaining access to electricity, registering property, protecting minority investors and resolving insolvency.
The Netherlands, he said, is now shifting its focus in Kenya from ‘Aid to Trade’ – a culmination of maturity in decades-long bilateral relationship between Kenya and the Netherlands. The buzz words for ‘Aid to Trade’ relations will be: private sector development, innovative financing, market and value chain development, technology transfer and a favourable business climate, adding that the Dutch alumni gathered at the event would be key partners in advancing the ‘Aid to Trade’ agenda.
He urged the alumni to remain the ‘real ambassadors’ of the Netherlands in Kenya. In attendance too was the Dutch business community in Kenya whom he said would also be partners in the aid-to-trade process. He outlined the Dutch government support to thousands of mid-career professionals over the years whose sole aim is building capacity for Kenyan organizations. Notably, the Netherlands Fellowship Program, the Dutch visitors Program and the NICHE program whose impact reverberates across many organizations in both urban and rural areas of Kenya.
Dr Catherine Kilelu, an alumni of Wageningen University (ranked the best university in the Netherlands for 11 consecutive years) thanked the Ambassador and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for organizing the alumni network forum in Nairobi that attracted participation from alumni across the 47 counties in Kenya to reconnect with old friends, colleagues and make new networks. She narrated her experience living in the Netherlands that touched on the Dutch culture, people, food and transport, which she swiftly related to the Kenyan context. Catherine is currently coordinating a research project funded by the Dutch Embassy and implemented by a consortium of Wageningen University and Kenyan researchers that brings together various development practices and research on agriculture and food security.
On her part, Ms Nancy Onyango cherished the impact of the Dutch education on her life. She is the Netherlands Alumni Association of Kenya Coordinator and acknowledges that as an alumnus of the Netherlands, she is now in a better position to not only comprehend the development challenges of her motherland is also able to offer solutions to those challenges. Nancy is a change agent courtesy of the values acquired from the Dutch.
