Aga Khan Foundation Partners with Camões Institute to Restore Gazi Bay Mangroves in Kenya
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) has signed a partnership agreement with the Camões Institute – the Portuguese Cooperation Agency – to support the ‘Gazi Bay Coastal Restoration and Eco-Tourism Initiative (G-CORE)’ in Kwale County, Kenya.
The partnership agreement signed during a visit to Kenya, will support coastal ecosystem restoration and community-led development in Kenya.
“The Aga Khan Development Network remains committed to working with partners across sectors to advance climate resilience, environmental stewardship, and inclusive development across the regions it serves. The visit by His Excellency Mr. Paulo Rangel, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, underscores the deepening engagement between Portugal, Kenya and the Aga Khan Development Network and reflects a shared commitment to advancing sustainable development, climate resilience and inclusive economic growth,” said Amin Mawji, Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network in East Africa.
Through G-CORE, AKF Kenya and its partners are implementing a community-led approach that combines ecological restoration with economic opportunity. Activities include planting approximately 65,000 mangrove seedlings across six hectares, as part of AKF’s broader effort to restore 226 hectares of mangrove forest in Gazi Bay in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service, alongside training community members in conservation practices, upgrading eco-tourism infrastructure such as the Gazi Boardwalk and strengthening local enterprises, with a particular focus on women and youth.
This initiative forms part of AKF’s broader Indian Ocean ‘ReGeneration’ Initiative and focuses on restoring degraded mangrove ecosystems while strengthening community livelihoods through sustainable eco-tourism.
Gazi Bay, a critical coastal ecosystem, has experienced significant degradation due to deforestation, altered hydrology and coastal erosion, compounded by climate-related pressures such as rising sea levels and storms. These challenges have adversely affected both biodiversity and the livelihoods of local communities.
Portugal’s contribution through the Camões Institute will partially fund the initiative, aligning with shared priorities on climate adaptation, marine conservation and the development of Kenya’s blue economy.
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