By Nicholas Cecil
Kenya鈥檚 President William Ruto has visited the redevelopment around King鈥檚 Cross Station in north London which is the inspiration behind a major new rail hub in Nairobi.
The Nairobi Railway City project is a rail-centred urban regeneration scheme aiming to transform 438 acres of land in the centre of Kenya鈥檚 capital into a new multi-modal transport hub.
British diplomats in Kenya have been working to support the development which could see contracts going to UK firms.
Leading UK architects AtkinsR茅alis have drawn up the designs for the new Nairobi Central Station and the public area around it.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 鈥淏y championing opportunities for British businesses overseas we are putting mutual economic growth and job creation at the heart of our economic partnership offer – in Kenya and at home.鈥
The British High Commission in Nairobi has:
* Facilitated UK expert advice from Transport for London and the Treasury to ensure value for money for the station project.
* Set up meetings with potential suppliers from the UK, including companies supplying trains, signalling equipment, integrated ticketing technology and security systems.
* Identified opportunities for the project to be financed through UK Export Finance (UKEF). If this happens, a minimum of 20% of the project must go to UK businesses.
Neil Wigan, British High Commissioner to Kenya, stressed: 鈥淣airobi Railway City is a bridge for economic growth between the UK and Kenya. We are proud that it has been inspired by the redevelopment of King鈥檚 Cross, that it has been brought to life by UK architects, and that it has been driven forward by experts from Whitehall and the FCDO.鈥
He added: 鈥淲e have used government finance and expertise to help open-up opportunities for UK businesses to compete on this game changing project in the heart of East Africa.
鈥淲ith climate and the environment at the core of its design, it will drive green growth, reduce pollution, and create jobs.鈥
Kenya鈥檚 national railway has opened the tendering process for the first phase of the railway project.
The procurement programme offers export opportunities for British companies across a range of sectors including engineering, construction, and advisory services.
Phil Dowrick, International Development Director at AtkinsR茅alis said: 鈥淭he Nairobi Railway City Project is an outstanding example of a modern, sustainable, transport hub derived though Transport Oriented Design, which is going to transform mass transit and provide great opportunities for Kenya and the wider region.
鈥淎tkinsR茅alis has delivered the designs for the new Nairobi Central Station and Public Realm that sits within the Railway City, achieving all sustainability targets for Africa, and delivering a truly world-class hub for Nairobi.
鈥淭he UK will continue to support the delivery of the project as it moves into its next phase, and we look forward to watching its progress over the coming years.鈥
The Foreign Office鈥檚 Overseas Development Assistance provided a package of technical assistance to structure and design the project, and Kenya鈥檚 Government could potentially leverage more than 拢150 million in funding through UKEF for the first phase of the project.