Germany to fund expansion of Olkaria Geothermal Station

Germany has committed to fund the expansion of the Olkaria Geothermal Station to increase its capacity.

The support comes at a time when Kenya is on its way to achieving a 100 per cent clean energy grid.

This was disclosed at a media briefing on Friday at the State House in Nairobi after President William Ruto held bilateral talks with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz.

The leaders committed to working together in the implementation of the Paris Agreement by leading Kenya to join the Climate Club.

They also exchanged views on the modalities of increasing the capacity of Kenya’s TVETs and the export of skilled workforce to Germany.

President Ruto urged Chancellor Scholz to review and ease immigration laws to enable Kenyans find employment in Germany.

“We have agreed to establish a technical team to expeditiously formulate an appropriate framework for the export of labour to Germany.”

The Head of State noted that he had also called on the Chancellor to review the tariff barriers to allow Kenyan products to enter the German as well as the European market.

Germany, the President added, had agreed to support Kenya’s efforts to conclude negotiation of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the East African Community and the European Union on the principle of variable geometry.

Kenya and Germany further agreed to finalise a framework of exchange programmes between their small and medium-sized enterprises.

“What we seek is synergy, cross-pollination and other complementarities to enrich learning and grow the economy from the bottom going up,” President Ruto added.

Chancellor Scholz committed to extend financial and technical support to the African Climate Action Summit that Nairobi will host in September.