Lamu and VNG International Deepen Partnership as Implementation Begins

Lamu County government has opened a new chapter of engagement with VNG International, with both sides exploring potential areas of collaboration aimed at translating county’s growing international recognition into sustainable development, stronger local governance and tangible benefits for communities.

A VNG International delegation led by Country representative Sanne van Amerongen together with her colleague Mercy Machocho concluded a three-day visit from 11–13 August 2026 following a formal request to further explore opportunities for collaboration.

The visit is built from engagements between VNG International and Lamu County during the UCLG Peace Prize award in Tangier, Morocco where Lamu’s experience and achievements in peacebuilding were recognised.

In this visit, VNG International identified peacebuilding, disaster management, water, migration and information and communication technology among potential areas for further engagement.

The mission provided an opportunity for the delegation to engage directly with the County’s political leadership, technical departments and strategic institutions.

The team held high-level engagements with the governor, the deputy governor, county secretary, and the chief of staff’s office as well as technical engagements with the County executive committee member for Information and ICT, LAWASCO, the water department and other county stakeholders.

The delegation also had an opportunity to visit Lamu Port gaining a practical perspective on the County’s strategic economic, maritime and development potential.

As part of the cultural and development component of the visit, the team also toured the Lamu Museum, hosted and guided by the County Executive Committee Member responsible for Tourism, Culture, Trade and Investment, providing an opportunity to appreciate Lamu’s rich heritage and the role of culture and tourism in the County’s sustainable development agenda.

New Chapter of Collaboration

The governor warmly welcomed the VNG International delegation and expressed the County’s commitment to opening a new chapter of sustained institutional collaboration.

“We are delighted to welcome VNG International to Lamu County. We see this engagement as an opportunity to build a meaningful and lasting partnership that goes beyond individual projects. Lamu has many development opportunities as well as challenges that require innovative and sustainable solutions. We are therefore ready to work closely with VNG International to strengthen local governance, peacebuilding, water security, technology, climate resilience and cross-border cooperation. We welcome this partnership and look forward to opening more doors for collaboration that will deliver tangible benefits to the people of Lamu.”

From the Peace Prize to Practical Implementation

A significant part of the discussions focused on the €20,000 UCLG Peace Prize award recently won by Lamu County.

The County and VNG International discussed the implementation of the award through an established workplan, with emphasis on ensuring that the prize becomes a catalyst for sustainable peacebuilding rather than a one-off intervention.

The discussions also explored how the Lamu Peace Model can be further strengthened, documented and potentially shared with other local governments facing similar peace and development challenges.

The County sees the award as an opportunity to move from international recognition to practical implementation, institutional learning and wider impact.

Water Governance and Sustainable Development

The delegation held discussions with LAWASCO and the County Water Department on opportunities for collaboration in water governance and sustainable water service delivery.

The discussions explored areas where collaboration could potentially strengthen water governance, institutional capacity, sustainability and community participation in the management and delivery of water services.

The engagement comes at an important time as Lamu continues to address water security as a critical component of sustainable development, community resilience and social cohesion.

ICT, Migration, Climate and Information Resilience

The delegation also explored potential areas of collaboration in ICT and digital transformation, including how technology could be leveraged to improve public communication, data-driven decision-making, service delivery and sustainable development.

Discussions on migration and disinformation recognised Lamu’s unique position as a coastal and border county where cross-border mobility, security, community relations and information flows intersect.

The discussions considered possible approaches to strengthening community resilience to harmful information and improving access to reliable and trusted information.

Climate change and disaster resilience were also discussed as important areas where technology, early warning, data and local governance could potentially be brought together to strengthen the County’s ability to anticipate and respond to emerging risks.

Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation

The teams further discussed potential future opportunities for cross-border programmes, building on Lamu’s existing community-to-community engagement with neighbouring communities across the Kenya–Somalia border.

The County views cross-border cooperation as an important pathway for strengthening peace, social cohesion, livelihoods and shared development among communities whose social, cultural and economic relationships transcend the international boundary.

A Partnership Beyond Individual Projects

Speaking after the conclusion of the visit, Shee Kupi Shee, who coordinated the VNG International mission, described the engagement as a significant milestone in Lamu’s development journey.

“For us, this partnership represents a new opportunity to move beyond recognition to implementation. Lamu has received international recognition for the work our communities and institutions have been doing, particularly through the UCLG Peace Prize. Our responsibility now is to convert that recognition into practical programmes that deliver sustainable development and tangible benefits to our people.”

He added:

“We see VNG International not simply as a partner for individual projects, but as a strategic institutional partner. There is an opportunity to bring together peacebuilding, water governance, ICT, climate resilience, disaster management, migration, culture, and cross-border cooperation under a broader sustainable development agenda for Lamu.”

VNG International’s engagement with Lamu is part of its mandate to work with local governments and other stakeholders to strengthen local governance, institutional capacity and inclusive service delivery.

The three-day visit therefore marked more than a courtesy engagement. It provided an opportunity for VNG International to interact directly with Lamu’s political leadership, county institutions, technical departments and strategic development assets while identifying and exploring potential areas for longer-term cooperation.

The Road Ahead

The County Government and VNG International are expected to continue discussions on the identified areas of potential collaboration, subject to further consultations and agreement, while developing clear next steps for the implementation of the UCLG Peace Prize award.

For Lamu County, the emerging partnership comes at a significant moment as the County seeks to transform the momentum generated by the UCLG Peace Prize and other international engagements into sustainable institutional partnerships and measurable development outcomes.

The vision is clear: to move from recognition to implementation, from projects to partnerships, and from individual interventions to sustainable systems that benefit the people of Lamu.

The Peace Prize opened the door. The VNG International partnership creates an opportunity to build what comes next.