Coronavirus – Kenya: EU support for Kenyans increases

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The EU is providing an additional €65 million to Kenya to address the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping Kenyans at risk of hunger and strengthening measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Funding from this package includes:

• Ksh 3.6 billion to mobilise resources towards containing the spread and impact of COVID-19 in the health, social and economic sectors. This will be provided through budget support to the Government of Kenya in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

• Ksh 1.2 billion of direct support to vulnerable families and individuals in informal settlements through monthly cash transfers, with careful checks to avoid double recipients; to ensuring health services are provided to the most vulnerable people; and to enabling people to protect themselves from COVID-19.

• Ksh 2.4- 3 billion directly for Kenya SMEs Access Finance. This will provide SMEs with short-term working capital, which is essential for them to continue operating and keep Kenyans in jobs; later this will stimulate investments for the post-COVID-19 recovery.

• Ksh 600 million directly for the Safe Trade Emergency Facility which maintains the critical supply chains for trade, ensuring food security and access to critically required medicines. At the same time the support will make the borders and the ports safer to counter the spread of COVID-19.

EU Ambassador to Kenya, Simon Mordue noted:

‘The European Union stands with Kenya during this challenging period and we recognise the severe impact this crisis is having on people’s lives. Today, through these support programmes, we are making a real difference to local communities across the country as well as in Nairobi’s informal settlements who are most affected by the outbreak, strengthening our partnership with Kenya’

The programme is part of an overall Team Europe response that has seen the EU and its Member States working closely to support Kenya during this crisis. The European Union is contributing over Ksh 35 billion to Kenya’s response to COVID-19 whilst EU Member States have already provided more than Ksh 3.3 billion (EUR 30 million). This collective support by Team Europe is a statement of Europe’s friendship and partnership with Kenya in these difficult global times.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of EU Delegation to Kenya.