AU-IBAR, ICC Kenya sign deal to boost private investment in livestock, fisheries and aquaculture

AFRICA – The African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the International Chamber of Commerce Kenya have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen private-sector participation, investment flows, and market development across Africa’s animal resources sector, including livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, and pastoral value chains.

The agreement is designed to accelerate public-private collaboration in mobilising capital, supporting agribusiness partnerships, improving policy dialogue and expanding market linkages, with an initial focus on Kenya and the wider East African region.

The MoU comes as African governments and development partners seek to scale up investment in animal resource systems, which are increasingly seen as central to food security, job creation and regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Speaking during the signing ceremony, AU-IBAR Director Huyam Salih said that stronger private-sector engagement is essential to modernise livestock and broader animal resource value chains across the continent.

She noted that sustainable growth will depend on innovative financing models, increased investment participation and stronger collaboration between public institutions and private enterprises.

Salih also highlighted the AfCFTA as a key opportunity to expand intra-African trade in livestock and livestock products, adding that African producers and processors must be better positioned to compete in emerging regional markets by improving competitiveness and value addition.

On behalf of ICC Kenya, Chairperson Julius Opio said the private sector is showing growing interest in Africa’s agri-food systems due to their strong potential for economic growth and employment creation.

“ICC Kenya’s extensive business network and expertise in facilitating private sector engagement will significantly contribute to connecting investors, enterprises, financial institutions, and market actors with commercially viable opportunities in the animal resources sector,” Julius added.

Under the agreement, the two institutions will collaborate to mobilise private-sector actors, promote investment opportunities, facilitate business partnerships, and strengthen policy and regulatory environments for agribusiness development.

The partnership will also support knowledge sharing, communication, and the visibility of investment opportunities in livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, and pastoral systems.

To ensure accountability, AU-IBAR and ICC Kenya will establish quarterly monitoring reviews to track progress, assess emerging challenges and align activities with sector priorities.

The initiative is expected to deepen public-private partnerships, increase investment flows into Africa’s animal resources sector and support broader goals of food security, economic transformation and regional integration under AfCFTA.

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