Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Aden Duale has revealed the details of his meeting with a delegation from the World Bank.

In a statement on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, Duale revealed that the delegation, led by the Country Director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda Qimiao Fan, discussed the interventions being conceptualised for the national landscape ecosystem restoration strategy.

Among the interventions include the USD200 million (Ksh25.8 billion) Kenya Watersheds Services Improvement Programme (KEWASIP) which seeks to restore 300,000 hectares of degraded areas across 12 counties.

“Hosted a delegation from the World Bank led by Country Director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda Mr. Qimiao Fan to discuss the interventions being conceptualised including the 200M USD Kenya Watersheds Services Improvement Programme (KEWASIP) project anchored in the national landscape ecosystem restoration strategy,” Duale stated.

“The 5 year project seeks to restore 300,000Ha of degraded areas across 12 counties. An initiative expected to create job opportunities for locals in the areas, in line with the Kenya Kwanza Administration’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) We discussed the ongoing Financing Locally Led Climate Action(FLLoCA) plan, initiated by the Government of Kenya, supported by World Bank among other donors and implemented in the 47 counties.”

The programmes, according to Duale, are in support of Kenya’s plan to plant 15 billion trees by 2032. The initiative, launched by President William Ruto in 2022, seeks to reduce greenhouse emissions, stop and reverse deforestation and restore 5.1 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes.

“Both KEWASIP and FLLoCA seek to support Kenya’s 15 billion Tree Growing flagship project, improve livelihoods, sustainable development projects and enhance climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience programmes. Additionally, the meeting discussed the expansion of climate finance inflows particularly through Kenya’s emerging and highly potential carbon markets,” Duale added.

” Further, I appreciated World Bank’s continued support and seek technical support and knowledge exchange programmes that boost community’s capacity-building.”

Hosted a delegation from the World Bank led by Country Director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda Mr. Qimiao Fan to discuss the interventions being conceptualised including the 200M USD Kenya Watersheds Services Improvement Programme (KEWASIP) project anchored in the… pic.twitter.com/qHBXXuNoyU

— Hon. Aden Duale, EGH (@HonAdenDuale) March 5, 2025