Chinese-sponsored water, sanitation project launched in Kenya

NAIROBI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A water project co-sponsored by the Jiangsu People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Amity Foundation, an independent Chinese social organization, was launched on Thursday in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

Ma Xin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Jiangsu Provincial Committee and executive vice governor of Jiangsu Province, said that the water program seeks to expand access to clean water for residents in Kenya's informal settlements.

"The program is an important measure for Jiangsu to help the Belt and Road countries improve people's livelihood and welfare through social forces," Ma said at a ceremony attended by Chinese and Kenyan government officials.

Jiangsu Province has embraced the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is carrying out a series of cooperation projects focusing on development and improving people's livelihoods among the Belt and Road countries, he added.

Esther Passaris, a lawmaker in Nairobi, said that the Chinese-backed water project will contribute to improving the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for the Kenyan people.

So far, the Kenya-China partnership has resulted in practical cooperation that has achieved remarkable results, including increasing the availability of clean piped water in informal settlements, she said. "Our two countries are ready to consolidate political mutual trust, deepen comprehensive cooperation, and bring China-Kenya relations to a new level," Passaris said.

David Matinde, a representative of the beneficiary communities, said that the project is expected to have a positive impact on at least 7,000 beneficiaries living in marginalized communities. He added that the water and sanitation project will also ensure that students maintain high levels of cleanliness, thereby avoiding illnesses caused by waterborne diseases.