NAIROBI, July 2019 – UN-Habitat will work with two Korean organizations to support small and medium size businesses and start ups in Kenya working in geographic data and information.

UN-Habitat signed letters of intent with KOSME, which supports small and medium size businesses and startups and with the State run Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corporation (LX).

The cooperation will help businesses working on geospatial information through experience sharing and mutual exchange. It is also expected to improve human resource capacity of Kenya and African start ups, as well as develop the business ecosystem for sustainable urbanization.

During the signature ceremony, Mr. Sang-Jik Lee, the President of KOSME, emphasized the role of young entrepreneurs to secure engines of innovative growth and promised to promote actions for the benefit of innovative businesses to facilitate a better urban future.

Mr. Gun-Tae Lew, the Standing Audit Commissioner of LX, highlighted the importance of sharing affordable knowledge, experience, and techniques in providing land tools to create social added value.

Mr Marco Kamiya, the coordinator of UN-Habitat’s Urban Economy Branch said that the innovative approach combining geospatial information and local economic development was promising.

KOSME is a one-stop comprehensive support organization dedicated to support the stable management and growth of small and medium businesses and startups. Support includes loans, export marketing, human resources development and others.

LX, as a public organization on land and (geo)spatial information in Korea, has set out to improve the efficiency of national land management and people’s quality of life. It has made an effort to share the Korean experience and technology in establishing and maintaining cadastral system with developing countries where efficient land registration and administration required.

UN-Habitat’s Urban Economy and Finance Branch in coordination with the Global Land Toolkit Network, GLTN, and the Regional Office for Africa, will start in Kenya and then expand to support cities, regional and national authorities to adopt or implement strategies and policies supporting inclusive economic growth, creation of decent jobs and livelihoods, and enhanced municipal finance.

This partnership will then seek to deliver lessons learned to support national and subnational governments of Kenya and other African countries in improving land information, creating job opportunities in geospatial information especially for youth and improving access to goods and services.