Duale, Netherlands Ambassador discuss strengthening climate collaboration ahead of royal visit » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 3– Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Monday hosted the Netherlands Ambassador to Kenya, Henk Jan Bakker, for bilateral talks at the Ministry’s headquarters to discuss climate action and preparations for the upcoming visit of the Dutch royal family.

CS Duale disclosed that the discussions centered on enhancing cooperation in sustainable forest management, a key focus in advancing Kenya’s ambitious 15 Billion Tree Growing initiative.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of the Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program, a government-led initiative supported by the World Bank aimed at strengthening climate resilience across Kenya.

The meeting also reviewed logistics for the anticipated state visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, scheduled for March 18–20, 2025.

As part of their visit, Duale said that the Dutch monarchs will participate in a tree-planting exercise in Thogoto Forest, where they will plant 2,000 trees alongside the local community.

CS Duale also briefed Ambassador Bakker on Kenya’s emerging carbon markets, recent amendments to the Climate Change Act, and preparations for the second edition of the Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) set for September 2025.

He noted that Kenya and the Netherlands maintain strong economic ties, particularly in agriculture, logistics, and sustainable development.

 These collaborations according to Duale aligned with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which prioritizes environmental conservation and economic growth.

The meeting was attended by Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko, as well as Administration Secretaries John Elungata (Environment & Climate Change) and Evans Mutari (Forestry).