The Kenyan Embassy in Seoul on Thursday welcomed Kenya’s accession to the Global Green Growth Institute, an intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting sustainable economic growth.

In a statement shared with The Korea Herald, the embassy highlighted Kenya’s commitment to climate action and green growth as key pillars of its national development strategy.

"The Government of Kenya has continued to prioritize climate change and green growth to transition towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy in line with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," the statement read.

The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to limit the "increase in global average temperature" to below 2 degrees Celsius, striving for 1.5 C.

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement allows countries to cooperate on emission reduction targets by transferring carbon credits. This helps establish frameworks for trading greenhouse gas reductions as well as promote finance, technology transfer and capacity building.

Kenya’s accession to GGGI follows initial discussions between Kenya’s ambassador to Korea, professor Emmy Jerono Kipsoi, and GGGI officials on green growth initiatives.

"By adding our voices, we amplify our commitment to climate mitigation," said the ambassador at the accession ceremony.

Following its accession, Kenya will officially become the 50th Member State of the Global Green Growth Institute on April 18, 2025.

It will also be the 10th African nation to join the organization, alongside Angola, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

"GGGI presents an opportunity for Kenya to tap into the benefits of green financing, job creation, competitive manufacturing, environmental conservation and climate resilience," said the statement.

Kenya has collaborated with GGGI on several projects, including the National Green Growth Index, an E-Mobility Project and a Green Hydrogen Program.

The embassy also confirmed Kenya’s commitment to finalizing a host country agreement with GGGI to establish a regional office in Nairobi, which is expected to attract investments, facilitate climate financing and create jobs.

Kenya's natural resource-dependent economy is highly vulnerable to climate change, with rising temperatures and erratic rainfall increasing extreme weather events such as droughts and floods.

Kenya developed the National Climate Change Framework Policy and has shown commitment to climate protection by supporting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, ratifying the Kyoto Protocol in 2005 and engaging in regional initiatives.

The country's Constitution mandates ecologically sustainable development, aligning with its Kenya Vision 2030 goals.

"Kenya’s accession to GGGI marks a historic milestone, allowing the country to fully participate in GGGI’s programs and further its green development goals," the statement read.