NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenya and France have signed a Statement of Intent to modernise the country’s meteorological and climate monitoring systems, in a move aimed at strengthening weather forecasting, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience.
The agreement was signed at State House, Nairobi, between the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA) and Meteo France International (MFI), the international arm of France’s national meteorological service.
The signing was witnessed by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to the Statement of Intent, the partnership will focus on upgrading Kenya’s meteorological infrastructure, including observational networks, data and information systems, operational forecasting tools, and flood risk management capabilities.
The modernisation programme is expected to enhance the delivery of weather and climate services, which are critical for agriculture, disaster risk reduction, economic planning, and environmental management.
KMSA, a semi-autonomous agency under the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, will work with MFI to implement the project, which is also expected to involve technology transfer and capacity building for Kenyan experts.
Officials say the initiative is designed to improve Kenya’s ability to respond to extreme weather events such as floods and droughts, which have become more frequent due to climate change.
The agreement follows technical and financial discussions between the two sides over recent years aimed at developing a framework for long-term cooperation in meteorological services.
Under the deal, Kenya aims to strengthen its forecasting accuracy and expand access to timely climate information for citizens, government agencies, and key economic sectors.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior Kenyan and French officials, including representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, alongside leadership from Meteo France International.
The partnership marks another step in growing Kenya-France cooperation in climate action, science, and technology.
