A few weeks after the African Climate Summit (ACS), which it hosted with great pomp in September 2023, Nairobi is once again at the heart of a major event, none other than the visit of the King of England. Known among other things for his attachment to green spaces and his committed speeches on global warming, Charles III’s symbolic presence should have a positive influence on the ecological transition underway in Kenya.
The King of England is making his first official visit to Africa since his coronation on 6 May 2023. And it is Kenya, a country in the Horn of Africa with a controversial colonial past, that Charles III has chosen. His solemn arrival on 31 October 2023 obviously raises questions about the future of relations between Nairobi and London, but also about the positive influence that his royal posture or even his well-known ecological convictions can play in accelerating the sustainable development of some 55 million Kenyans.
That’s the size of the UK population in 2011. What the two nations have in common is population growth, which is a key factor in understanding the climate crisis and its prospects. The former Prince of Wales’ knowledge of plants, animals and agro-ecology, which he has often claimed as a heritage from nature, should be put to good use in his discussions with Kenya’s political and economic authorities.
A royal vision of sustainable development to share
The East African country, surrounded by savannahs, lakes and mountains, is in dire need of advice and visibility at a time when prolonged droughts and peaks in atmospheric pollution are occurring despite the investments that have been underway for some years now. These are issues at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but they will be discussed unofficially because the King has no political authority in the UK.
On the other hand, there is no reason why Charles III – who is known to be very aware of biodiversity issues (MDGs 14 and 15) – should remain silent in the face of the urban sprawl that is threatening Nairobi National Park (117 km2). The British monarch will visit this natural area to appreciate the conservation initiatives led by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). His views as an ecologist will also count when it comes to safeguarding ecosystems during his excursion to a nature reserve in the southern city of Mombasa.
London’s support for Nairobi’s ecological transition
The mere presence of “Her Majesty” on this site is a reminder to Kenya’s leaders that they are not on the wrong track with the work in progress, but that they may need to speed it up if they are to be the first African Commonwealth nation to be up to date in 2030 with the implementation of the 17 SDGs. If no agreement will be signed, it is at least certain that she is paving the way for Rishi Sunak’s government to strengthen economic cooperation between Kenya and Great Britain.
This is currently worth 1.4 billion dollars. London, Nairobi’s biggest foreign investor, has announced that in 2021 it will set up an $80 million fund to build 10,000 eco-friendly homes in Kakamega County, in the west of the country. This is part of the Kenyan smart city project called Mwale Medical and Technology City (MMTC).
Source: Afrik 21