A high-level Donor Roundtable on Bankable Biodiversity, Climate and Livelihood Propositions in Terrestrial and Coastal Ecosystems convened in Nairobi, bringing together bilateral, multilateral, and philanthropic donors and partners to advance Kenya’s biodiversity and coastal resilience agenda.

The roundtable was convened by the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) Kenya Chapter partners — including IUCN, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International Eastern Africa, and WWF-Kenya — alongside government counterparts, community representatives, and development partners active in Kenya’s biodiversity space.

The agenda opened with a scene-setting segment delivered by the Kenya Forest Service and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, framing Kenya’s biodiversity and climate investment landscape against the country’s national priorities: Vision 2030, the NBSAP, Nationally Determined Contributions, and the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy (2023–2032). The role of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems in climate mitigation, adaptation, and livelihoods — and the financing gap those ecosystems face — was placed front and centre.

A central focus of the roundtable was a portfolio of investment-ready, “bankable” project concepts developed through a participatory process with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Kenya Forest Service, the National Mangrove Management Committee, and the National Alliance of Mangrove Community Forest Associations. Designed to blend public and private finance, the projects target measurable ecological, climate, and socioeconomic impact in coastal and ASAL ecosystems — including the Mangrove Breakthrough Kenya Country Proposition and a BIODEV proposal.

Community voices were also central to the programme. Representatives from the Amboseli Ecosystem Trust and the National Alliance for Mangrove Community Forest Association shared perspectives on local innovation and livelihood resilience, grounding the investment conversation in the realities of frontline communities.

The session closed with an open dialogue on co-financing models, de-risking strategies, and catalytic capital — with bilateral, multilateral, and philanthropic partners exploring how to coordinate around Kenya’s biodiversity and resilience agenda and identifying next steps for technical engagement and follow-up. The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership was represented at the event by its Facilitator for Kenya, David Githaiga.

Learn more about Kenya and the progress of other country members on our Recent News page. Curious about the Facilitator Programme? Learn more about its critical role in accelerating NBSAPs here.