Kenya and the European Union have renewed their commitment to environmental protection and climate resilience through the signing of four new green projects, including a €9 million (Ksh1.4 billion / 10.5 million) initiative to restore Lake Baringo watershed and strengthen biodiversity in northern Kenya.

The announcement was made during the EU Green Diplomacy Week in Nairobi, an event that celebrates sustainable partnerships and green innovation between EU and Kenya.

Department of Wildlife Principal Secretary (PS) Silvia Museiya commended the EU for its unwavering collaboration with Kenya in supporting biodiversity and climate action.

“We are grateful to the European Union for ensuring that the government’s voice, vision, and strategic goals are incorporated into all projects,” Museiya said. “Your support has a visible footprint across the country, from conservation to community livelihoods.”

Museiya praised the Northern Kenya Biodiversity Programme implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for involving government stakeholders in project design to avoid duplication and ensure alignment with national priorities.

She noted that the EU’s involvement was timely, especially as dwindling donor support had left several conservation initiatives vulnerable.

“Some conservancies have gone months without paying rangers. This new funding will fill critical gaps and help prevent communities from turning against the very wildlife they have protected for years,” she said.

Museiya further highlighted the importance of collaboration between development partners and state agencies such as the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Research and Training Institute, saying coordinated communication and data sharing were essential for success.

EU Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger lauded Kenya’s progress in green transition and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting climate resilience programs across the country.

“We are celebrating Green Diplomacy Week here in Kenya because we believe the green transition makes sense not just for the environment and health, but also economically,” Ambassador Geiger said.

She underscored that environmental protection must extend beyond climate change debates to encompass water, energy, consumption, and land use, urging stakeholders to “rethink everything we do in green terms.”

The ambassador also noted that the EU and Kenya share a strong partnership on environmental matters, expressing optimism ahead of the upcoming United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 7) in Nairobi.

“We are all in the same boat. The green transition is everyone’s responsibility,” she said.

Italian Ambassador to Kenya Roberto Natali underlined the importance of coherence and consistency in the partnership, saying the EU-backed projects align with both Kenyan and European priorities.

“This project touches on all the main pillars of our cooperation planet, people and prosperity,” Ambassador Natali said. “The Lake Baringo watershed initiative mirrors our own climate strategies in Europe, demonstrating that sustainability is a shared goal.”

The envoy said the programme would be implemented through the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS) and the German Development Agency GIZ, targeting local institutions and communities to build lasting climate resilience.

“The Lake Baringo basin was once a vibrant hub of biodiversity but it now faces multiple environmental threats,” Kimaiyo said. “This project will help restore degraded watersheds, promote sustainable land management and empower local communities to take ownership of conservation efforts.”

He added that the initiative would create income-generating opportunities tied to conservation, ensuring both ecological and social sustainability.

“The only way we can sustain this project is by involving communities living upstream and downstream,” he said. “Use them, but don’t lose them.”

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Darlene Kuria and Naif Rashid