President William Ruto’s efforts in campaigning for environmental protection to mitigate the effects of climate change have finally paid off after he received a Ksh573 million grant from the Italian government.
The money is set to go into the restoration and sustainable management of Cherangany Forest ecosystems for Climate Change resilience and Improved livelihoods.
According to the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Treasury Njuguna Ndung'u, the Ksh573 million deal aims to contribute to the environmental sustainability of the Cherangany water tower through the promotion of climate-resilient and low-carbon socioeconomic development.
Present during the signing of the deal which took place in Nairobi were CS Ndung’u and Italian Ambassador to Kenya Roberto Natali.
The Ksh573 million grant is part of the Ksh180 million (euro1.8 billion) Kenya has cumulatively received from the Italian government.
CS Ndung'u also noted that the Ksh180 billion was meant for supporting various Government projects including infrastructure, education, health and water services.
Njuguna Ndug’u also lauded the Italian government following the recent loan worth Ksh22 billion it issued to Kenya for budgetary support.
“I am glad that the Government of Italy has joined the list of partners who have agreed to walk the journey with us and expressed willingness to avail up to Euro 150 million in budget support in the context of the ongoing DPO,” Ndung’u stated.
On March 18, the National Treasury secured a Ksh22 billion (150 million euros) concessional loan from the Italian government in a deal signed in Nairobi.
At the centre of the agreement were the development prospects with particular attention to sustainable coffee supply chains.
“This support is contingent upon the successful implementation of the reform measures outlined in the 6th Devt Policy Operation DPO 6,” read part of the treasury’s statement.
While underscoring the deal, the Italian government stated that the multilateral agreement would be implemented within the framework of the Italy-Kenya Plan signed in 2023 and in line with the Mattei Plan.
