Kiambu County is seeking to deepen international cooperation following a high-level meeting between Governor Kimani Wamatangi and the Israeli Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Gideon Behar.
The Governor hosted the envoy for a courtesy call during which discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Kenya and Israel, with emphasis on practical areas of collaboration that can directly benefit residents of Kiambu County.
According to the Governor, the engagement explored opportunities in agriculture, health, transport, and trade, with both sides expressing interest in deepening cooperation to support development initiatives at the county level.
A key area of focus was agriculture, where Kiambu is looking to leverage Israel’s advanced expertise in irrigation technology to unlock the potential of arid and semi-arid areas within the county. The discussions also highlighted the need for value addition in agricultural produce to enhance market competitiveness and improve farmer incomes.
The Governor noted that partnerships in modern farming technologies could significantly boost productivity and help address challenges faced by local farmers, particularly in water-scarce regions.
In addition, the meeting explored ways of strengthening Kiambu’s cooperative movement, which plays a central role in supporting farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs across the county. Both parties agreed that enhancing cooperative structures would improve access to markets, credit, and technical support.
Transport and urban development also featured prominently in the discussions, with proposals for collaboration in modern traffic management systems. The Governor pointed to the planned Thika Industrial Smart City as a key project that could benefit from Israeli innovation and expertise in smart infrastructure.
The meeting further opened the door for potential partnerships in the health sector, with a focus on improving service delivery through technology-driven solutions.
Governor Wamatangi welcomed the engagement, describing it as a step towards expanding Kiambu’s global partnerships and unlocking new development opportunities for residents. He expressed optimism that the collaboration would lead to tangible projects that support economic growth and innovation.
The Israeli Ambassador accepted an invitation to participate in the upcoming trade fair in Kiambu, where further discussions on public and private sector partnerships are expected to take place.
The County Government has in recent months intensified efforts to attract strategic partnerships aimed at accelerating development, with international cooperation increasingly becoming a key pillar in its economic agenda.
As Kiambu positions itself as a hub for investment and innovation, the engagement with Israel marks a significant step towards broadening its development footprint and enhancing service delivery to residents.
