The Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) has released its inaugural Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report for the financial year 2020/2021. According to a press release by the authority, the report provides updates on the progress of key projects within the smart city, focusing on their sustainability aspects.

Some of the highlights from the report are:

• Phase One of the project is 88 percent complete, attracting private investors and government entities to establish their business operations.
• The development of smart city facilities is now 55 percent complete, the Konza Conference Facility is 59 percent complete, and Phase One has secured over 80 percent of new investors.
• The Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)’s Core Buildings, Administration Buildings, Laboratories, and Accommodations are at 17.58 percent completion.
• The Authority has established a tree nursery with 600,000 seedlings, scalable to 10 million trees, for greening the Technopolis, buffer zone, and strategic areas like water towers.
• The Authority plans to utilize technology to create the first smart tree nursery, effectively managing and monitoring the nursery while reclaiming the Konza Technopolis situated in a semi-arid ecological savannah.
• The Authority intends to establish smart agricultural farms in the Agri parcels to promote urban farming technologies for food security and preserve wildlife within a 1000-acre wildlife corridor2.

During the launch event of the report, the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KoTDA, John Paul Okwiri emphasized the integration of sustainability into their key projects. “In today’s session with investors and partners, we took time to provide key highlights that we have made in the financial year and highlighted some upcoming projects in Technopolis in the new financial year. We are happy to bring together partners from Academia, Industry, private sector, and development organizations for co-creation and development of Africa’s Silicon Savanna,” Mr Okwiri stated.

The report’s release demonstrates the authority’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), benefiting their investors. The inaugural ESG report also reflects KoTDA’s dedication to sustainable development from an economic, social, and environmental perspective. The event, attended by Director Administration, State Department of Information Communication and Technology (ICT), Wesley Maritim, and Chairman of KoTDA, Prof Raphael Munavu, witnessed the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Africa Center of Technologies and Studies (ACTS).

The MoU between UNESCO and KoTDA aims to enhance digital entrepreneurship development, develop Konza Technopolis as a desirable smart city, and promote the sharing of the knowledge economy. Similarly, the MoU between the Africa Center of Technologies and Studies (ACTS) and KoTDA seeks to foster research and development at Konza Technopolis, nurture digital skills and talent in the economy, encourage digital solutions, and facilitate the commercialization of digital innovations.

Konza Technopolis is a visionary project that seeks to transform Kenya into a knowledge-based economy and a global destination for innovation. The ESG report showcases the achievements and challenges of the project in its first phase, as well as its commitment to sustainability. The launch event also highlights the partnerships that KoTDA has forged with various stakeholders to realize its goals. Konza Technopolis is poised to become a model smart city for Africa and beyond.

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