Sports CS Mvurya chairs inter-ministerial meeting to advance sports tourism
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Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 05.02.25. | 20:48
The pledge was also centered around using sporting events to position Kenya as a global hub for youth-driven economic opportunities
Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports Salim Mvurya on Wednesday held a high-level tripartite meeting set to deliberate on measures aimed at advancing the integration of sports and tourism as an avenue for youth empowerment, job creation, and economic growth.
Mvurya was joined by Cabinet Secretaries for Tourism and Wildlife - Rebecca Miano - and Cooperative and MSMEs - Wycliffe Oparanya, where they agreed to work together and leverage on the international sporting events Kenya is set to host in 2025.
Sports is a pivotal force in channeling premier investments into our country, with sports events providing an ideal stage to highlight our “Magical Kenya” and to unlock opportunities for both young entrepreneurs and MSMEs.
— H.E Salim_Mvurya, EGH. (@Waziri_Mvurya) February 5, 2025
Today, I chaired an interministerial meeting with… pic.twitter.com/Qq3AxKz87H
Among the major tournaments lined up this year in Kenya include: the Magical Kenya Open, WRC Safari Rally, Nairobi City Marathon, CECAFA and the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The three hope that with sports being a key driver of both tourism and business in Kenya, opportunities for talent development, tourism, job and business creation would be harnessed.
“There are a number of international tournaments that Kenya is hosting that require a Whole-Of-Government approach; and therefore, the Ministries represented here by my two colleagues will be very crucial in looking at the kind of opportunities that we can work around together to benefit the young people of our country,” said CS Mvurya.
On his part, CS Oparanya highlighted the critical role that youth engagement plays in driving sustainable economic growth.
He said several initiatives, including the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project - being driven by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Cooperatives, and the World Bank – are being rolled out to equip young people with employability skills and entrepreneurial training that would enable them to excel in the job market and business world.
On the other hand, Tourism CS Miano lauded the joint inter-ministerial initiative saying it will be beneficial to 70% of young people in the hospitality industry.
She added: “We are working on using the Magical Kenya brand to promote sports as one of the products that will attract tourists and help us reach the target arrival numbers.
“Many investors in the hospitality sector are under the category of MSMEs and through this inter-ministerial partnership, we will ensure they are facilitated with the requisite capital and skills that will drive their businesses forward.”
