Kenya and the World Bank have reaffirmed their development cooperation amid ongoing fiscal pressures and efforts to sustain economic growth, following discussions held this week in Nairobi.
- •Kenya currently hosts 31 active World Bank-financed projects with total commitments amounting to approximately US$ 5.96 billion.
- •The portfolio spans key economic and social sectors, including education, water and sanitation, housing, transport infrastructure, energy, urban development, and public sector institutional strengthening.
- •The meeting brought together senior Kenyan government officials and a visiting World Bank delegation to review the status of existing financing arrangements and the direction of future support.
The talks involved the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, John Mbadi, and the World Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer, Wencai Zhang, and focused on budget support operations and project financing aligned with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Discussions also covered Kenya’s prospective pipeline under the World Bank’s IDA 21 financing cycle, which is expected to prioritize projects aimed at inclusive growth and improved public service outcomes.
Employment creation and youth economic participation featured prominently in the talks, reflecting Kenya’s demographic structure and persistent labour market challenges. Officials reviewed progress under the World Bank-supported National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Programme, which targets young entrepreneurs through a combination of start-up capital, skills training, and access to markets.
The World Bank delegation included the Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Ndiamé Diop, and the Country Director for Kenya, Qimiao Fan, alongside other senior officials. Their visit comes at a time when Kenya is navigating constrained fiscal space, rising development needs, and increasing scrutiny over the effectiveness of externally financed programmes.
