Kenya must change its foreign policy if it is to benefit from international trade.

Ministry of foreign affairs permanent secretary Thuita Mwangi says Kenya must put in place an international business strategy that will encourage foreign investments as well as make it easy for local investors to sell their products.

There has been concern that the country was not attracting as many international investors as expected despite being part of the East Africa Community Custom Union and the recently adopted Common Market Protocol.

According to the ministry of foreign affairs the country lacks policies that favor international trade.

Mwangi said the ministry of foreign affairs was slowly becoming pivotal in encouraging international investments and was already engaging its embassies abroad to market Kenya’s economic potential.

The ministry is facilitating international trips for the private sector so as to ensure that they are quite aware of international standards.

In the same line Vision 2030 director Mugo Kebati has challenged exporters to improve standards of their products if they are to achieve international recognition.

Kebati said that despite the infrastructure upgrading that is currently ongoing Kenyans’ reputation of hard work and ethics will go a long way to ensure that the country’s produce will have worldwide acceptance.

CAROL MUTHONDU