Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Alice Wahome held talks with China’s Minister of Water Resources Mr Li Guoying as the two countries consider increased cooperation in the water sector.
During the meeting in Beijing, Wahome disclosed that they deliberated at length on how Kenya and China can continue to engage and strengthen partnerships and cooperation on best principles, standards, and practices in the development and management of water resources, sanitation, and irrigation.
“I paid a courtesy call to my counterpart Mr Li Guoying, Minister in The Ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China a department within China’s Central People’s Government responsible for managing water resources in China,” she said after the meeting
Wahome’s meeting with Li Guoying comes amid ongoing efforts by President William Ruto’s administration to seek cooperation especially with foreign investors to develop 100 dams under the Public Private Partnership model.
“The Kenya Kwanza BETA plan (Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda) can be achieved with sheer hard work, commitment, fruitful partnerships from Government of Kenya, investors and private sector,” posted Wahome in her Twitter page
The Water Cabinet Secretary was in China to attend the 14th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum.
The annual event, every year, attracts more than 2000 delegates from over 70 countries and regions including around 50 ministerial officials, serving as an important platform for industry elites from government authorities, financial institutions, engineering companies, survey & design firms, consultancy, and equipment manufacturers, to exchange strategic thinking and insights on cutting-edge topics, explore opportunities and seek cooperation.
She disclosed that her tour of China has been an eye-opener especially as far as development and management of water resources is concerned, citing best practices employed by Beijing in advancing the sector.
“My learnings during this visit to China have been very insightful. The 3 Gorges Hydropower Dam is a marvel. Consisting of the dam, hydropower station, and navigation buildings. The river dam is a concrete gravity dam, with a flood-discharging section, with a dam crest elevation of 185 meters. The maximum dam height is 181 meters,” she said
Before her tour of China, the Water CS, alongside the Principal Secretary for Water and Sanitation Dr. Paul Ronoh had met Investors, including those from China, to discuss the 100 PPP Dams Initiative.
“CS Alice Wahome recognizes the power of water PPPs building on these achievements to improve utility performance and leverage finance and technology. They are important means to achieve the government’s goal of 1M acre irrigation and improved water supplies to 6M households,” the Ministry of Water said in a statement
“Commercialization of water services since 2002 has delivered financial sustainability of utilities and access to water for millions of Kenyans. CS Hon Wahome recognizes the power of water PPPs building on these achievements to improve utility performance, finance, and tech,” the Ministry added
