Counties, national government and partners intensify coordinated drought response

County governments, working closely with the national government and development partners, have intensified a coordinated response to the ongoing drought crisis, with a focus on reaching the hardest-hit communities in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).

Speaking during the 14th Development Partners Forum, governors led by Council of Governors chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi EGH underscored the need to unlock and effectively utilise already committed resources to speed up interventions on the ground. The leaders called for closer alignment of partner-supported programmes with national and county priorities to avoid duplication and improve impact.

While the government has allocated funds to address urgent food, water, nutrition and livestock needs, governors noted that existing financing gaps remain a major challenge. They urged sustained engagement from development partners to scale up life-saving interventions and protect livelihoods.

Beyond emergency relief, the forum emphasised long-term investments in climate resilience, strengthened local systems and coordinated national-county action to reduce vulnerability in drought-prone regions.