UNMIL,
UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Rateng Oginga OGEGO
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER
embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P. O. Box 606
Village Market, Nairobi 00621
mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000
FAX: [254] (20) 363-410
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red
band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed
spears is superimposed at the center
Economy
Kenya
Economy - overview:
The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has
been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary
goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended
Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the
government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A
severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,
causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.
As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had
resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again
halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute
several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains
in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low
investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at
1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence,
meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections.
In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old
reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable
economic problems facing the nation. After some early progress in
rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support, the KIBAKI
government was rocked by high-level graft scandals in 2005 and 2006.
In 2006 the World Bank and IMF delayed loans pending action by the
government on corruption. The international financial institutions
and donors have since resumed lending, despite little action on the
government's part to deal with corruption. The scandals have not
weighed down growth, with estimated real GDP gro
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