President Uhuru Kenyatta calls on World Bank to support delivery of projects

NAIROBI, KENYA:  President Uhuru Kenyatta Wednesday hosted nine World Bank directors for a breakfast meeting at State House, Nairobi. 

During the meeting, President Kenyatta urged the World Bank to support delivery of Kenya’s development agenda. 

He said Kenya’s access to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loans would boost the country’s capacity in implementation of flagship projects that would spur economic development. 

The President said the mega projects currently underway in the country have scaled up its capacity to absorb additional capital inflows from development partners, adding that removal of hurdles hindering access to funding from the World Bank was a welcome move. 

“Kenya is one of the few countries not only in Africa but in the whole world which have not defaulted in its international obligations,” he said. 

He said the Government incorporates the interests of all communities when implementing development projects, saying projects can only be sustained through partnering with the beneficiaries. 

“If communities are not involved in a project then it is likely that they will have problems with it in future,” he said. 

He called for closer working relations between the Government and the Bank in projects that directly engage the youth in income generating activities. 

The nine World Bank directors were on a tour of Ethiopia, Malawi and Kenya to appreciate the three country’s development progress, opportunities and challenges.

The directors, led by Executive Director for Africa Louis Peter Larose, commended Kenya for its achievements particularly in devolution and infrastructural development. 

Other World Bank directors in the delegation were Alister Smith (Canada), Ursula Mueller (Germany), Alejandro Foxley (Chile) Franciscus Godtsm (Belgium), Ana Lourenco (Angola), Jose Rojas (Venezuela), Clare Roberts (United Kingdom) and Jason Allford (Australia). 

The meeting was also attended by several Cabinet Secretaries and senior Government officials led by National Treasury CS Henry Rotich.