Sh3.2b fund to benefit coastal counties

Kenya’s coastal region is set to benefit from a Sh3.2 billion programme with a focus on job creation and employment for young people and women.

This is after the European Union (EU) and the Government of Kenya launched the programme, dubbed Go Blue, yesterday.

The programme will be implemented in Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu and Taita Taveta counties with the support of the coastal government initiative, Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP).

Go Blue combines job creation with integrated sea-land planning and management in coastal urban centres and their marine environment and also seeks to enhance maritime governance through effective law enforcement.

The programme is part of Kenya’s Blue Economy agenda and is being implemented over a four-year period between January this year and December 2024.

The EU is working with implementing partners from four member states agencies - Germany, Italy, Portugal and France - and two United Nations agencies, UN Habitat and UN Environmental Programme.

“Kenya’s coast is a precious ecosystem that has a huge potential to unlock opportunities for the country’s sustainable development,” said EU Deputy Ambassador to Kenya Katrin Hagemann.

“Go Blue aims at strengthening inclusive blue economy value chains, creating wealth and transforming the lives of not just the people living in the coastal areas, but those of other Kenyans as well.”

The Go Blue launch comes two years after Kenya hosted a high-level conference on sustainable blue economy in November 2018.

“Securing the Go Blue project is testimony that structured  cooperation of regional counties and communities sharing resources and partnership with the world works,” said JKP Chief Executive Emmanuel Nzai.