UK Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell on Monday, September 4, delivered Ksh9 billion to spur various development projects in Africa.
Mitchell announced the funding during his visit to Kenya for the inaugural Africa Climate Summit. The funding will help to create jobs, grow economies, and improve the lives of women, farmers, and at-risk communities.
“Our partnerships with African countries on green investment and climate resilience are growing economies and improving lives. But more action has to be taken, as those least responsible for climate change are increasingly bearing the brunt of its effects,” Mitchell stated.
“The UK is working closely with African partners to fight climate change, boost resilience, and help those whose lives are most impacted,” he added.
Besides releasing the funds, the UK pledged to provide over Ksh2.1 trillion in international climate finance for over five years. Additionally, the European nation vowed to advocate for rapid reform of the international financial system to unlock trillions of dollars to combat climate change.
The latest round of funding delivers on the UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverley’s promise of honest reliable investment in Africa when he visited Kenya in December 2022, along with COP26 commitments, demonstrating the strength and capability of UK-Africa partnerships.
This includes Ksh6.2 billion for new projects across fifteen African countries to help women, at-risk communities, and more than 400,000 farmers build resilience against the effects of climate change.
Early warning systems, such as text alerts, radio, and social networks, will help hard-to-reach communities take action before extreme climate events occur, and these projects will also improve water security for more than 1.5 million people, the UK insisted after announcing the new funds.
During the summit, visiting African Presidents are expected to pitch different ideas that will help their respective governments receive funding to tackle various climate-related problems.
While presiding over the opening of the summit, Ruto lobbied African leaders to push for the adoption of new ideas to tackle climate-related challenges and monetize key resources to spur development.
