President William Ruto met with Ben Black, Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), in Washington, D.C., to discuss broadening collaboration between Kenya and the US in key development sectors.
The discussions focused on enhancing food security, energy, ICT, and infrastructure to support Kenya’s sustainable growth agenda.
During the meeting, President Ruto highlighted opportunities for joint investment in renewable energy, specifically geothermal, wind, and solar, to bolster the country’s clean energy capacity.
“There is strong potential for collaboration in energy to reinforce our renewable power base,” Ruto said in a statement shared on his official X account.
The talks also explored infrastructure development, including upgrading major highways, modernising Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and expanding ports to facilitate regional trade.
DFC expressed interest in contributing to Kenya’s proposed National Infrastructure Fund, which aims to accelerate the completion of strategic projects nationwide.
A notable outcome of the engagement was DFC’s agreement to support a $1 billion debt-for-food security swap.
This initiative is intended to replace Kenya’s high-cost debt with more affordable financing, aligning with the government’s efforts to strengthen national food resilience.
To maintain closer coordination, DFC will establish a representative office in Nairobi starting January 2026, facilitating ongoing collaboration on these priority sectors.
Kenya has previously partnered with international development institutions to fund infrastructure and energy projects, particularly under Vision 2030 and recent energy expansion programmes.
The new engagements with DFC are expected to complement these ongoing initiatives, providing both financial and technical support for transformative projects.
President Ruto described the partnership as “mutually beneficial” and aligned with national development priorities, signalling continued efforts to attract foreign investment that supports Kenya’s long-term economic growth.
0 Comments