China and Kenya are enhancing their partnership across various fields, with renewed momentum in promoting environmental conservation through shared initiatives.
The latest initiative, themed “Land-Sea: China-Africa Ecological Civilization Exchange,” aims to forge stronger conservation partnerships by prioritizing ecological protection and community-led conservation efforts, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
A delegation from Chongqing Municipality, a vibrant city in southwestern China, led by Mayor Hu Henghua, is visiting Kenya to formalize these collaboration agreements with various continental and community-based organizations.
During an event at the Confucius Institute of the University of Nairobi on Wednesday, Mayor Hu stated that the programme would provide fresh insights and impetus for advancing eco-friendly modernization in China and Africa.
“We stand ready to leverage this platform to collaborate with African partners in sharing expertise and best practices in urban sustainability, clean energy development, wildlife protection, and cultural heritage restoration,” he asserted.
“Through strengthened exchanges and cooperation, we are committed to forging a shared future where humanity coexists harmoniously with nature, working collectively to build a more beautiful homeland for all,” the Mayor added.
Guo Haiyan, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Kenya, reiterated the commitment of both nations to fostering environmental sustainability and protecting vital ecosystems.
“The Chinese government attaches great importance to ecological and environmental protection. H.E. Xi Jinping, President of China has proposed the concept of a community of life for mankind and nature. He has a famous saying, that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”, as well as “we should protect nature and the environment as we protect our eyes,’” she said.
The ambassador highlighted China’s significant achievements in this area demonstrating its commitment to global ecological security. She cited a recent government work report presented at the Two Sessions, which notes improvements in China’s ecological environmental quality, including a reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP by over 3% and an added 370 million kilowatts of installed renewable energy capacity.
In the context of China-Kenya cooperation, ecological and environmental protection have consistently been a priority, leading to numerous collaborative efforts in related fields. In projects such as SGR, Chinese enterprises have taken a series of environmental protection measures during the design, construction and operation, such as building bridges and animal passages to ensure the harmonious coexistence of railways and wild animals, she stated.
According to Ambassador Guo, China’s commitment to these efforts was evident at the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, where Ten Partnership Actions were unveiled, including the “Partnership Initiative for Green Development.”
“The initiative highlights China’s leading role in the implementation of clean energy projects in Africa and its engagement in biodiversity conservation cooperation,” Beijing’s top diplomat in Nairobi stated
In this regard, Guo confirmed that Chinese companies will collaborate with Kenyan partners on the Nairobi River Basin Ecological Restoration Project, which has the potential to become a flagship cooperation initiative focused on environmental protection.
“The Chinese Embassy has been actively promoting cooperation between China and Kenya in relevant fields, and has also encouraged Chinese companies to strengthen environmental protection and fulfill their social responsibilities, so as to achieve sustainable development of the global South countries and the pursuit of a better life for their people through a beautiful ecological environment,” the Ambassador stated.
Local leaders and conservationists present expressed Kenya’s eagerness to attract increased investment from China to strengthen ongoing conservation efforts.
“In collaboration with the Chinese government and investors, we are developing a major rehabilitation programme for our rivers, including the Nairobi River, Ngong River, and Mathare River, as well as all the rivers that flow through Nairobi. This initiative will enable us to restore the ecosystems that once thrived in these areas,” noted Nairobi County Deputy Governor Njoroje Muchiri.
“We currently have two arboretums in Kenya, one in Nairobi and the other in Nyandarua. The Nyandarua arboretum has not been well developed, and I believe that through such programmes, we could find ways to enhance it. This is a potential site for reintroducing wildlife if we can attract investors, among other initiatives,” said Dr. Kiarie Badilisha, Governor of Nyandarua.
“We want to restore our relationship with nature, which is essential. We are working to reduce forest losses, land degradation, and species extinction, as we are losing thousands of acres and we are facing one of the largest extinction crisis and we want to work with the young people across the world, especially from China to reverse these trends,” added Nevile Agesa from the Mara Conservation Fund.
In addition to Kenya, the forum concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation and non-governmental organizations from three other African countries: Tanzania, Cameroon, and Tunisia. The agreement seeks to enhance the protection of the continent’s rich biodiversity.
The event also marked the launch of volunteer activities aimed at promoting exchanges on ecological civility between Chinese and African youth.
Chen Can, Deputy Secretary General of the Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation, announced exciting plans for youth engagement! She disclosed that young people will come together for online dialogues, inviting representatives from both Chinese and African youth to share their insights on nature, ecological protection efforts, and their experiences in related activities. Through roundtable discussions and forums, they’ll tackle important issues like biodiversity protection and sustainable development, enhancing cultural understanding between Chinese and African youth.
“We’re partnering with African public welfare organizations to plan and implement nature observation activities that reflect local characteristics, covering areas such as climate change, urban sustainable development, biodiversity protection, and waste and plastic reduction,” she shared.