France Pumps Ksh227 Million Into Kenya Water and Energy Projects After Macron’s High-Profile Nairobi Visit
Kenya has secured two new technical assistance agreements worth a combined Ksh227 million from France’s development agency, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), in a move expected to boost water infrastructure and clean energy projects across the country.
The deals, signed through the National Treasury, come just hours after French President Emmanuel Macron concluded his high-profile visit to Kenya following the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi on May 11 and 12.
According to the Treasury, the agreements comprise Euro 800,000 (approximately Ksh121 million) for the Tana Cascade Masinga Dam Raising Project and another Euro 700,000 (around Ksh106 million) aimed at strengthening water service providers in Kisumu and Eldoret.
“The agreements include Euro 800,000 for the Tana Cascade (Masinga Dam Raising Project) and Euro 700,000 to strengthen water service providers in Kisumu and Eldoret,” the National Treasury said in a statement.
The Masinga Dam project is expected to enhance Kenya’s water storage capacity and improve water supply reliability for communities located downstream along the Tana River basin. Officials say the initiative will also support clean energy generation and climate resilience efforts as the country grapples with recurring droughts and rising demand for electricity and water.
Meanwhile, the second agreement focuses on improving operational capacity among water service providers in Kisumu and Eldoret, two rapidly growing urban centres that have faced persistent challenges linked to water shortages, ageing infrastructure, and increased population pressure.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi co-signed the agreements on behalf of the Kenyan government.
Separately, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale held talks with the AFD delegation on Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. Discussions reportedly centred on health financing, expanding access to quality healthcare services, and strengthening the country’s broader health infrastructure.
The funding agreements were announced shortly after President Macron departed Nairobi, ending a visit that analysts viewed as part of France’s broader push to deepen ties with African nations beyond its traditional Francophone sphere of influence.
Macron and President William Ruto co-hosted the Africa Forward Summit, which drew nearly 50 African heads of state and more than 1,500 economic stakeholders from across the continent and Europe.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Nairobi Declaration, a framework aimed at promoting what organisers described as “solidarity investment rather than traditional aid”.
French and African partners also unveiled a massive €23 billion (approximately Ksh3.47 trillion) investment package, with €14 billion expected from French companies and €9 billion from African stakeholders.
For Kenya, the summit yielded 11 major agreements worth an estimated USD800 million (about Ksh129 billion), covering sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, renewable energy, transport, and industrial development.
Political observers say the latest agreements signal France’s growing strategic interest in East Africa, with Kenya increasingly positioning itself as a regional hub for investment, climate financing, and infrastructure partnerships.
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