Kenya has joined more than 20 African countries and international partners to establish a fund aimed at improving the livelihoods of people living in urban areas while supporting the development of resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities.
The initiative, known as the Building Climate Resilience with the Urban Poor (BCRUP) Fund, seeks to mobilise financial resources through collaboration between participating countries, development finance institutions, philanthropic organisations and the private sector to strengthen climate resilience in vulnerable urban communities.
Speaking in Nairobi on Wednesday during a high-level dinner on mobilising finance for BCRUP, Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome described the initiative as timely, saying it would transform the living conditions of the urban poor while enhancing the status of cities across the region.
“Our key focus is our urban centres. We will be raising sufficient funding to the level that will impact positively on the urban people, the urban poor, by building their resilience, scaling up their adaptation and ensuring that their livelihoods are supported,” said Wahome.
She noted that the fund would support investments in infrastructure and social amenities to improve living conditions in informal settlements and other vulnerable urban areas.
“We expect a better quality of life and improved facilities through these funds. We will intervene to ensure that living areas for the urban poor are upgraded because infrastructure development will be a key component of the programme,” she added.
Beyond urban infrastructure, the fund will also support initiatives in agriculture and information and communication technology (ICT), sectors that are expected to strengthen livelihoods and create economic opportunities.
On agriculture, Wahome said the initiative would complement government efforts to enhance food security, while ICT investments would support the country’s digital transformation agenda and create employment opportunities for young people.
“We want to work with the youth in this area. The government is implementing an extensive digitisation programme to ensure our young people can access opportunities in technology, innovation and job creation,” she said.
The Cabinet Secretary observed that climate change has become one of the greatest threats facing cities, with low-income urban communities bearing the heaviest burden despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions.
She noted that floods, prolonged droughts, heatwaves and environmental degradation were increasingly placing pressure on urban infrastructure, livelihoods and public services across Africa.
According to Wahome, the BCRUP programme will help participating countries build cities that are not only engines of economic growth but also centres of resilience, inclusion and opportunity.
“Achieving that vision will require more than political commitment. It will require a new partnership to mobilise capital at scale through governments, development finance institutions, philanthropy and the private sector,” she said.
She emphasised that climate change should no longer be viewed solely as an environmental issue but also as a major economic, development and urban challenge requiring coordinated global action.
Kenya accepted the responsibility of championing the BCRUP initiative during the United Nations Climate Action Summit held in New York in 2019 under the Infrastructure, Cities and Local Action Track.
“Kenya was entrusted by the United Nations to lead the formulation of this initiative, working closely with UN-Habitat, with Brazil later joining to strengthen South-South collaboration and global partnerships,” Wahome said.
She noted that the programme has evolved from a bold concept into a structured initiative with a clear vision, established partnerships and a comprehensive implementation plan.
BCRUP has since been showcased at major international platforms, including the African Urban Forum, the World Urban Forum and COP29. It has also undergone regional readiness and validation processes involving the 20 pilot countries to refine governance frameworks, validate financing mechanisms and prepare for full-scale implementation.
The initiative is expected to provide participating countries with a coordinated platform for mobilising climate finance, strengthening urban resilience and improving livelihoods, particularly among vulnerable communities that are most exposed to the impacts of climate change.
By Douglas Namunane & Wangari Ndirangu
