World Bank’s Support for Kenya's MSME Development Agenda

On the sidelines of CSW69, MSMEs Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang'eni met with Dr. Hassan Zaman, the World Bank’s Regional Director for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions for Eastern and Southern Africa, along with his team in Washington, D.C., USA.

The discussions centered on the World Bank’s support for Kenya's MSME development agenda, specifically through the Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation Project (KJET).

The meeting also included Dr. Ahmed Rostom, the Project Task Lead, and Mr. Ryan Kuto, the project's Private Sector Development Lead. The team reviewed the progress of the project's implementation and reaffirmed their commitment to fast-track its impactful kickoff scheduled for May 2025.
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The KJET project aims to support job creation in the private sector by enhancing the competitiveness of enterprises within targeted high-growth value chains in Kenya. Aligned with the Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation agenda, the project  is expected to benefit approximately 45,000 Kenyans,  by creating new or improved job opportunities.

KJET focuses on offering business development services to bolster viable value chains and connect MSMEs to markets.

The project is anchored within the State Department for MSME Development of the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSME Development and the State Department for Investment Promotion of the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, reflecting a whole-of-government approach. 

The recent meeting in Washington, D.C., underscores the ongoing collaboration between the Kenyan government and the World Bank to ensure the successful implementation of the KJET project, aiming to create sustainable and productive jobs through the development of MSMEs.