Kenya’s first planned smart and sustainable city located just 60 km south of Nairobi, has signed on Friday, in the presence of Israel’s Ambassador to Kenya, Noah Gal Gendler, a strategic MOU with Israeli company Smarter Urban & IT Strategies Ltd. (S.U.iT.S), a smart city and urban-tech integrator.
This MOU positions SUiTS as an innovation partner in the experimentation and implementation of Israeli technologies and solutions, and in promoting Konza Technopolis as a central global focal point in innovation, smart urban policies and planning, and sustainable economic development and green infrastructure.
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The partnership will seek to explore cooperation in a number of core areas, including creating dynamic, data-based management systems, promoting innovative models for supporting building operations and maintenance, designing, adapting and implementing urban technologies, strategies and tools related to environmental sustainability and management, developing the Konza innovation ecosystem into a regional and later global leader, and identifying beta-sites for testing urban technologies and infrastructure solutions.
In the coming months, KoTDA & SUiTS intend to finalize a strategic action plan to guide the above ambitious initiatives and set target dates for implementation throughout 2018 and onwards.
Currently, the initial steps that have been prioritized will focus on two parts: Developing a unique smart city roadmap and regulatory framework to set the stage for localized and targeted smart city strategies and solutions; and Adjusting and fine-tuning the first buildings currently in building & final design stages towards them becoming smarter & more sustainable structures – the first of their kinds in Eastern Africa based on adding innovative and environmentally friendly technologies, and creating smart user-oriented services and unique urban innovation facilities towards promoting KoTDA’s vision to further position Konza as a model smart city.
Kenyan Government agency KoTDA, established to promote the development of Konza Technopolis (Konza Techno City).
Commenting on this MOU, Eng. John Tanui, Chief Executive Officer of KoTDA, stated that “KoTDA is excited to partner with Israeli-based SUiTS in the further development of Konza. This is an ample opportunity to invite cooperation from the Israeli and Kenyan innovation ecosystems and work towards Konza becoming a model smart city for the East African region. We strongly feel that combined with our unique team, SUiTS will play an important role in this effort, as they bring extensive experience and knowledge in critical areas related to smart urban development and growth, with a unique focus on smart planning, innovation and infrastructure.”
Arch. Rafi Rich, CEO & Founder of SUiTS, expressed his support for this cooperation: “If implemented sustainably, Konza Techno City can serve as a model for various smart city planners, developers and innovators from Africa and worldwide.”
Shirley Ben-Dak, Head of Global Initiatives at SUiTS, added: “We hope that by collaborating and by leveraging the combined experiences of the Kenya, East African and Israeli innovation ecosystems, we can help stimulate local economic and sustainable development in the region.”
