Canada pledges to boost girls’ education in Kenya

President Kenyatta chats with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when they held bilateral talks in Quebec last week. PHOTO | PSCU 

In Summary

• The Canadian High Commission in Kenya says it has spent up to $74 million (Sh7.4 billion) in various sectors including education.
• Poor nations, including Kenya, were also called out for their reckless debt management.
• Lenders such as China were criticised for failing to demand prudent financial management.

By AGGREY MUTAMBO
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President Uhuru Kenyatta’s trip to the G7 Summit has secured key commitments to fund education for poor girls and women as well boost the sea fishing industry.

State House said on Monday the Canadian government had offered to support girl education in poor countries such as Kenya.

“President Kenyatta hailed Prime Minister Trudeau’s plan for Canada to offer $2.9 billion (Sh290 Billion) with the help of its G7 partners to fund education for the world’s poorest girls and women.

“It is projected that the proposed investment in education could help educate more than eight million children and teenagers.”

The specific funding to Kenya was not immediately indicated, but State House said Mr Trudeau had pledged to continue with programmes already running in Kenya.

The Canadian High Commission in Kenya says it has spent up to $74 million (Sh7.4 billion) in various sectors including education.

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INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

“Canada’s international assistance is well aligned with Kenya’s overarching Vision 2030 strategy. Our support in this sphere is helping all Kenyans through creating economic opportunities for poor and vulnerable populations; improving access to quality health care for mothers and children; providing a safe, quality learning environment for children, especially girls; and by promoting inclusive governance,” the mission said.

The President attended the Summit in Quebec largely because Kenya and Canada are planning to co-host a conference on Blue Economy due in November in Nairobi.

The  meeting of the world’s most industrialised nations and which dwelt on gender equality, economic growth, security and climate change, was nearly roiled by the public spat between Canadian and US government officials over trade tariffs.

Ahead of the summit, the diplomatic brief from Nairobi had indicated that the President would seek partnerships on how to exchange knowledge on improving sea fishing and conservation of marine wildlife.

CONCRETE SUBJECTS

Most of the meetings the President had with leaders of France, Canada, Japan and Germany were largely informal chats, rather than arranged discussions on concrete subjects. State House however said the conversations were “significant starters.”

“The officials exchanged notes on critical areas. Canada described the Nairobi blue economy summit as very important and urged leaders at G7 to send strong delegations so that they can continue the discussion on a key area of economic growth,” State House said.

Despite more than 500 kilometres of coastline, Kenya’s exploitation of marine resources, otherwise known as blue economy are largely underutilised. With a potential of 300,000 tons of fish a year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Kenya only harvested about 10,000 last year, according to the Kenya Bureau of Statistics.

REFUSED TO SIGN

The G7 leaders said in a dispatch , which the US President Donald Trump refused to sign, that they will channel resources to protect the oceans by fighting plastics and climate change.

Poor nations, including Kenya, were also called out for their reckless debt management while lenders such as China were criticised for failing to demand prudent financial management, even as they supported development especially in infrastructure.