The agreement brings together strategic partnerships work with the Government of Kenya to build SDG focused partnerships to drive financing and innovations that help tackle complex development goals/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 25- The Government of Kenya has signed a Communique with the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at the University of California, Berkeley, along with The Rockefeller Foundation, and the United Nations to inspire future action and support for the delivery of Kenya’s Big Four agenda.
The agreement brings together strategic partnerships work with the Government of Kenya to build SDG focused partnerships to drive financing and innovations that help tackle complex development goals.
Speaking during the signing event, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of ICT, Kenya Joseph Mucheru, Kenya stated that “The partnerships signed today will harness the ongoing initiatives in our tech community to accelerate the actualization of our National Development goals.
At the heart of the Lab is to re-imagine how development work is done, promoting a culture of innovation and experimentation.
The capacity to adapt in a rapidly changing environment will become key for the UN to stay relevant and provide effective support to Kenya to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The Rockefeller Foundation has a long history of working with the Government of Kenya to improve the lives and prospects of its citizens. Today we reaffirm our continued commitment and partnership with this communique. We are excited to be part of this journey and look forward to advancing Kenya’s strategies and partnerships to achieve the Kenya Big Four Agenda,” said Christine Heenan, Senior Vice President for Global Policy and Advocacy, The Rockefeller Foundation.
Tapping into the UNDP Accelerator Labs network, the Kenya SDGs Accelerator Lab aims to leverage and advance knowledge and learning from others through the global network and enrich developmental thinking and implementation through exploration and experimentation of multiple possible ideas and find contextualized solutions that can be deployed rapidly and sustainably.
“UNDP Accelerator Labs initiative is one such vehicle that can potentially help to align strategic partnerships with emerging innovations,” UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa Ahunna Eziakonwa.
In collaboration with local actors including the Private Sector and the Academia, the SDGs Accelerator Lab will endeavour in identifying and harnessing homegrown solutions that have proof of concept, with the aim of bringing them to scale, while creating an enabling environment for young innovators to conceptualize, test and deliver interventions that best work for their communities .
Together with the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of ICT, the SDGs Accelerator will build on and complement government-led initiatives such as the Ajira Program, Digital Innovation Program, the Whitebox Platform and harness the power of tech-innovation to empower youth in becoming solution-oriented and employment creators; focusing on women, youth, vulnerable and marginalized groups, underpinning the ambition of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.
