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National Activities: Kenya

Kenya

Fourth International Workshop on the CSD Indicators of Sustainable Development
Hosted by the Government of the Czech Republic in Prague
19-21 January 1998

Introduction

Kenya is one of the 17 testing countries for indicators of sustainable development (ISD). Kenya participated in the Africa Regional Workshop held in Ghana, last year. Development of ISD is a priority area as we embark on environmental adjustment reforms.

The Ministry of Planning and National Development in collaboration with other relevant sectors has developed indicators on economic, social and environmental issues using data from the Central Bureau of Statistics.

An Overview of Institutional Arrangement to Develop ISD

The focal point for the development of ISD in Kenya is the National Environment Secretariat (NES) which is a department within the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. NES is the Government's arm charged with coordinating all matters pertaining to the environment. Since environment cuts across all sectors of our national economy, the Secretariat carries out its coordinating role through the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Environment (IMCE). IMCE has created within itself sub-committee on major environmental concerns. The Environmental Economics and Accounting sub-committee is responsible for the development of ISD among other things. Membership includes Government Ministries/Departments, Planning and Statistical Department, academic and research institutions, NGOs and the private sector. The sub-committee works closely with the other sub-committees. It is chaired by the Ministry of Planning and National Development and the focal point is the Secretary.

At the regional and international level, Kenya has not yet identified a partner institution to twin with in this are but is exploring the possibility of partnerships with other countries.

Activities

1. Identification of data needs:
   
   With the assistance of UNDP, an Environmental data needs assessment workshop to facilitate the process of preparing indicators for monitoring and evaluating the achievement of sustainability. The sub-committee recognized that building ISD needs data that:
   1. Is available, accessible and inexpensive;
   2. Reflects the priorities and needs of the country including that of the various stakeholders;
   3. Reliable and credible to reflect the true state of all sectors.
2. Identification of capacity needs to generate data and development indicators:
   1. The needs assessment workshop identified overall gaps which require capacity-building to generate and use data;
   2. Collaboration with national institutions of higher learning to building capacity in the areas identified and to harmonize research with felt needs;
   3. These Recommendations on capacity-building will be further refined and coordinated under the Capacity 21 programme;

Constraint/Gaps

1. Resources both technical and financial;
2. Data availability and accessibility;
3. Networking at the national, regional and international level;
4. Awareness at all levels on the importance of ISD.

Way Forward

1. Awareness creation on the ISD and political support, but needs capacity in all Government Departments;
2. Identifying networking modalities at all levels in data accessibility and collection; and on the development of ISD;
3. Soliciting for financial assistance;
4. Identifying priority areas for testing ISD given regional disparities.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. B. O. K'Omudho
Director
National Environment Secretariat
Box 67839, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel. no.: (254-2) 229-261
Fax no.: (254-2) 216-951/214-175