Stakeholders call for balance between technology and human values as trade summit opens in Mombasa

The International Trade and Logistics Summit has begun in Mombasa, with industry leaders calling for a balanced approach to technological innovation and human values as digital systems continue to reshape the logistics and trade sectors.

The two-day meeting has drawn together government officials, logistics experts, and private sector representatives from across Africa, seeking to explore how modernisation can drive efficiency without sidelining the human element that keeps the industry running.

Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Mombasa Chapter Chairman, Aboud Jamal, however, emphasised the need for a human-centred approach to innovation.

“Technology is changing the way goods move, ports operate, and supply chains function. But even as we embrace Artificial Intelligence and automation, we must not lose sight of human values that define good business,” Aboud said.

Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA) official Hamisi Rajab echoed the call for unity among industry players.

“Our strength lies not in competition but in collaboration,” he noted, urging logistics firms to work together in shaping a more efficient and inclusive future for the sector.

On his side, the Transport Principal Secretary, Mohamed Daghar, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upgrading transport infrastructure, including ports, railways, and roads, to strengthen trade both locally and across the region.

Mohamed said the ongoing construction of new berths at the Port of Mombasa and at the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone will boost the country’s capacity to handle growing cargo volumes.

“The Mombasa Special Economic Zone, which has been in discussion for several years, is now taking shape. Construction at Berth 19B is 19 per cent complete, and work has already started at Dongo Kundu,” he said.

The PS added that the government is prioritising the modernisation of existing berths and the addition of new ones, Berth 23 and Berth 24, to ease congestion at the Port of Mombasa and ensure seamless logistics.

According to data from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), cargo throughput at the port increased from 29.97 million metric tonnes between January and September 2024 to 32.86 million metric tonnes in the same period this year, marking a 9.6 per cent rise.

Container traffic also grew by 6.2 per cent, from 1.46 million to 1.55 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

Mohamed further stated that the government is committed to eliminating non-tariff barriers that hinder trade and improving the road network in and around Mombasa to enhance connections along both the northern and southern corridors.

He noted that Kenya is also expanding its railway infrastructure to link neighbouring landlocked nations, with new lines planned from the Port of Lamu to Moyale, Ethiopia, and from Nadapal to South Sudan.

“We intend to extend the Standard Gauge Railway from Suswa to Kisumu, a stretch of 262 kilometres with a branch to Kisumu Port, and later from Kisumu to Malaba at the Uganda border,” he added.

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• Stakeholders call for balance between technology and human values as trade summit opens in Mombasa
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KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto said the summit comes at a crucial time when the logistics industry is undergoing rapid transformation driven by automation and artificial intelligence.

“Africa must not be left behind. The logistics sector is evolving fast, and we must embrace technology to remain competitive,” he said, adding that KPA is upgrading its terminal operating system to include automated gate systems, equipment tracking, and barcode-based cargo management.

The summit has been jointly organised by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) and the Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA), in collaboration with KPA and the Mombasa County Government.

It has drawn more than five hundred delegates from within Kenya and across the continent, among them port operators, shipping lines, freight forwarders, transporters, government agencies, and trade associations.

The two-day forum is expected to generate actionable discussions and partnerships aimed at strengthening the region’s logistics and trade ecosystem through innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth.