1. PRESENTATION DURING GOVERNORS’ & DEPUTY GOVENORS INDUCTION AT DIANI REEF BEACH HOTEL KWALE on 15th DECEMBER 2017
BY H.E. HON. JACKSON K. ARAP MANDAGO – GOVERNOR UASIN GISHU COUNTY & CHAIRPERSON NORTH RIFT ECONOMIC BLOC (NOREB).

2. Case Study: North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB)
Topic: Establishment, Management & Operations of Regional Economic Blocs
Case Study: North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB)

3. INTRODUCTION: County Economic Blocs
County Governments Act Section 6(3) gives County Governments’ powers to enter into partnerships
County regional blocs formed with a view of creating synergy in service delivery
Regional blocs formed;The Lake Basin Regional Economic Bloc, Jumuiya ya County za Pwani, North Rift Economic Bloc, The Mount Kenya Aberdare Counties Trading Bloc, the South Eastern Economic Bloc and Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC)
44 Counties are members in at least one bloc, except for Nairobi, Narok and Kajiado
Five counties are multiple members; Lamu and Garissa are in Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC) and Jumuiya ya Pwani while Trans Nzoia and Nandi are in Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) and North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB)

5. Noreb Membership Turkana County West Pokot County Trans Nzoia County
Uasin Gishu County
Elgeyo/Marakwet County
Nandi County
Baringo County
Samburu County

6. Why Noreb? Take advantage of economies of scale
Shared investment opportunities and geographical proximity
Competitive and Complementary economic linkages
Shared Social issues and ideological similarities
Common Cultural and historical issues

7. Areas of interest for Noreb
Oil and gas
Tourism
Business services
ICT sector
Trade
Agriculture
Human Resource (Regional Entrepreneurial Empowerment)

8. Expected Benefits
Attract both local and international investors; Bilateral & Multilateral
Fast regional development through increased monetary injection
Creation of global affiliations with global funds like USAID
Identification of county resource strengths for specific investments
Market Noreb as the gateway to East & Central Africa
Increase productivity within the region

9. Noreb Strengths Huge presence of natural resources
Abundant labour Resource
Strategic location; Gateway to East Africa Community and outlet to COMESA.
Available and willing partners.
Existing strategic alliances.
Open investment opportunities; One stop Shop
Unique opportunities in individual counties

10. Achievements Noreb strategic guide finalized.
Noreb policy document finalized.
Noreb saw to the establishment of Private Special Economic Zone in Plateau Uasin Gishu (worth Ksh billions); Masterplan attached below

11. Eldoret Special Economic Zone

12. Challenges Poor Infrastructure
Weak fiscal and monetary policy coordination
Insecurity issues
Wide geographical coverage
Destructive competition
Political influence

13. Conclusion
There is need to anchor county economic blocs in appropriate policy & law
There is need to institutionalize county economic blocs within organizational structures.
There is need to prepare long-term economic bloc blue prints aligned to vision 2030 (minimum 10 years)
Formulate medium term 5-year regional CIDPs along with MTPs
Sensitization of successive leadership establishment of County Regional Economic blocs

14. THE END
THANK YOU