The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is hosting a Reverse Trade Mission to the U.S. to connect Kenyan decision makers with leading U.S. emergency management companies and solutions providers. The itinerary will include meetings with government and private sector stakeholders and site visits with emergency operation centers and other public safety facilities in Washington, DC; Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA to introduce the delegation to U.S. technologies, services, and policies featuring international best practices in emergency communications systems. 

​

The visit occurs as the Government of Kenya seeks to upgrade the country’s emergency communications systems and improve responses to natural disasters in remote areas.U.S. companies have cutting-edge technologies that can meet these needs, which will be featured throughout the visit. This visit provides an opportunity for the delegates to learn more about U.S. best practices in emergency management communications as well as meet with the U.S. companies providing innovative communications systems and services that support emergency management and disaster relief operations in the U.S. and globally. U.S. companies have cutting-edge technologies that can meet these needs, which will be featured throughout the visit.

Business Briefing on May 14, 2019 at USTDA's Business Center Register Here.

While the delegation is in Washington, DC, USTDA will host a business briefing on May 14, 2019 at its Business Center in Arlington, VA for U.S. companies to learn about upcoming project opportunities. See more information on the Business Briefing below. 

Background

The visit occurs as the Government of Kenya seeks to upgrade the country’s emergency communications systems and improve responses to natural disasters in remote areas. In 2018, several areas throughout Kenya, including Nairobi, experienced severe flooding, displacing households, damaging roads and bridges, preventing or limiting humanitarian access to many of the affected areas, cutting off people’s access to markets in multiple locations, displacing at least 244,407 people (45,219 households) and causing more than 80 deaths. The country struggles to provide its citizens with basic emergency services, leaving much of its population without access to timely and often life-saving assistance.

The Government of Kenya (GoK), through the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) within the Ministry of Interior, has been working to address shortfalls in its emergency management response systems. GoK plans to invest in a number of projects to upgrade its emergency management systems to improve responsiveness to national disasters and emergencies including monitoring, coordinating, and mobilizing resources to respond to disasters. The GoK is also prioritizing the development and procurement of additional emergency communications systems which use technology to coordinate efforts between multiple agencies such as police, fire, health, and public utilities.