Kenya Development Corporation on Thursday called for stronger global financing partnerships following talks with Agence Française de Développement and Finance in Common.
The discussions focused on co-investment opportunities, youth and women-inclusive financing, and institutional capacity building.
The corporation also highlighted preparations for the French Africa Summit in Nairobi aimed at enhancing coordinated public development bank interventions across Africa.
The Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) said this engagement is aimed at reinforcing collaboration with global partners and unlocking new funding opportunities for national development priorities.
“KDC engaged with Agence Française de Développement and Finance in Common to reinforce collaboration with global public development bank partners and deepen strategic partnerships for sustainable financing,” the corporation said in a statement.
The talks focused on identifying funding avenues for both KDC and the Green Investment Fund, with particular attention to co-investment models that could accelerate impactful and environmentally sustainable development projects across Kenya.
“The discussions explored funding opportunities for KDC and the Green Investment Fund, including potential co-investment avenues to unlock impactful and sustainable development across Kenya,” KDC said.
A major theme of the engagement was the strengthening of institutional capacity within Kenya’s development finance ecosystem. This included efforts to support young entrepreneurs in developing investor-ready projects that can attract both local and international capital.
KDC emphasized that inclusive financing remains central to its strategy, particularly through programmes that target youth and women-led enterprises as drivers of economic transformation.
The corporation also reaffirmed its commitment to the Finance in Common initiative, a global coalition of public development banks that seeks to align financial systems with sustainable development goals.
“KDC reaffirmed its support for the Finance in Common initiative and its role in strengthening public development banks globally,” it said.
According to the statement, the discussions also highlighted preparations for the upcoming French Africa Summit scheduled to take place in Nairobi this May.
The summit is expected to convene policymakers, development banks, and private sector actors to explore financing solutions for Africa’s growth agenda.
The engagement brought together KDC Director General Norah Ratemo and Adama Mariko, Secretary General of Finance in Common and Acting Executive Director for Mobilisation, Partnerships and Communication at AFD.
KDC said the meeting reaffirmed the importance of coordinated global efforts in mobilising development finance, particularly as countries seek innovative funding models to address infrastructure gaps, climate change challenges, and private sector growth needs.
The corporation has increasingly positioned itself as a key intermediary in linking Kenyan development priorities with international capital, especially through blended finance structures that combine public and private investment.
It said such partnerships are critical in reducing investment risks while ensuring that financing reaches sectors with high development impact, including renewable energy, agriculture, and industrial development.
The focus on youth and women entrepreneurs reflects a broader national agenda to promote inclusive economic growth and reduce unemployment by enabling access to capital for underserved groups.
KDC also indicated that its collaboration with global institutions such as AFD and Finance in Common will help strengthen technical expertise, improve project preparation, and expand investment pipelines for sustainable development initiatives.
The upcoming French Africa Summit in Nairobi is expected to further deepen these engagements, offering a platform for high-level dialogue on financing Africa’s development priorities and strengthening cooperation between African and European financial institutions.
Through these initiatives, KDC aims to position Kenya as a regional hub for sustainable investment and development finance innovation, aligning with both national economic goals and global sustainability frameworks.
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