GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Kenya and India have reaffirmed their commitment to closer environmental cooperation following high-level talks between Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, and Ambassador Sushil Prasad, India’s Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya and Deputy Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat.

I

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Fifth Resumed Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2), which is working on a global treaty to end plastic pollution.

Shared Commitment to Sustainability

Discussions focused on priority areas for both nations, including ecosystem restoration, climate change mitigation, renewable energy adoption, and capacity-building for green innovation. Dr. Barasa said the talks offered a valuable opportunity to deepen collaboration.

“I reaffirmed Kenya’s leadership in global environmental diplomacy, highlighting our ban on single-use plastics, large-scale afforestation efforts and wetland restoration programmes, as well as our active role in multilateral environmental negotiations,” she stated.

Opportunities for Green Partnership

Kenya is seeking to leverage India’s expertise in renewable energy deployment and technology transfer to accelerate its green transition agenda.

“India’s experience in renewable energy deployment and technology transfer offers valuable opportunities for synergy with Kenya’s green transition,” Dr. Barasa noted.

Looking Ahead

The renewed dialogue between Nairobi and New Delhi is expected to pave the way for joint environmental projects, capacity-building programmes, and policy exchanges that will benefit communities in both countries.As negotiations for a plastic pollution treaty advance, Kenya continues to position itself as a regional and global leader in environmental conservation and climate action.