Editor's Review
The National Treasury has announced that an IMF mission was expected to visit Nairobi in early December 2026 for Article IV consultations.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi on Monday, October 12, held bilateral talks with Eric Meyer, the United States Department of the Treasury’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa and the Middle East on the sidelines of the 2026 International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.
In a statement, the National Treasury said the meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to assess the country’s macroeconomic position and explore areas of cooperation in support of their shared development priorities.
"The engagement provided a platform to review Kenya’s macroeconomic outlook, assess the status of engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and consider avenues for strengthening Kenya-U.S. economic cooperation in support of shared development priorities," the statement read.
According to the Ministry, Mbadi and Meyer discussed the forthcoming Article IV consultations, a process through which the international lender assesses the economic and financial policies of its member countries.
The National Treasury disclosed that an IMF mission was expected to visit Nairobi in early December 2026 for the consultations, which will provide an opportunity to review Kenya’s economic performance and policy direction.
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The two officials also reviewed progress towards the publication of the Governance Diagnostic Report, which is part of the ongoing engagement on governance and accountability in the public sector.
"On the IMF programme, the discussions covered the forthcoming Article IV consultations, with an IMF mission expected in Nairobi early December 2026.
"The two sides also reviewed progress towards publication of the Governance Diagnostic Report, an important component of ongoing engagement on governance and public sector accountability," the statement added.
The talks further examined remittance flows from the United States to Kenya and opportunities to deepen technical cooperation between the two countries.
One of the areas identified was assistance from the U.S. Treasury in the emerging field of digital assets.
Development financing and health cooperation also featured prominently, with both sides exploring opportunities to expand collaboration through U.S. development financing frameworks and advance shared health priorities.
"Development financing and health cooperation featured in the discussions, with both sides considering opportunities to broaden engagement through U.S. development financing frameworks and advance cooperation on shared health priorities," the statement further read.
Mbadi and Meyer also exchanged views on Kenya’s Business Laws (Amendment) Act and its potential implications for development financing and partnerships.
The discussions provided an opportunity for the two sides to address matters of mutual interest, including the importance of maintaining constructive dialogue on policy and legislative developments that could affect the broader economic environment.
"The two sides also exchanged views on the Business Laws (Amendment) Act and its implications for the broader environment for development financing and partnerships.
"The exchange provided an opportunity for dialogue on matters of mutual interest and the importance of constructive engagement on policy and legislative developments," the statement noted.
The National Treasury said such engagements were aimed at sustaining policy dialogue, expanding development partnerships and advancing the country’s economic objectives.
"The engagement forms part of Kenya’s continued economic diplomacy with international partners, aimed at sustaining constructive policy dialogue, expanding opportunities for technical and development cooperation, and advancing the country’s economic and development objectives," the statement concluded.
This comes months after Kenya was awarded the Human Capital Champion Award in recognition of its sustained progress in building human capital.
In a statement on Friday, April 17, the National Treasury said the award was presented during a high-level country celebration hosted by the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C.
Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo received the award on behalf of the country during the celebration.
"Kenya has been awarded the Human Capital Champion Award at a high-level country celebration hosted by the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C., in recognition of its sustained progress in building human capital.
"The PS for the National Treasury, Dr. Chris Kiptoo, received the award during the Human Capital Country Celebration held on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings," the statement read in part.
World Bank Group Vice President for People, Mamta Murthi, who presented the award, commended Kenya for its measurable progress under the expanded Human Capital Index Plus (HCI+).
This framework evaluates both the accumulation of human capital and its effective utilization within the economy.
According to the treasury, the award now places Kenya among the top-performing countries globally relative to its income level.
"Kenya’s performance has been supported by tangible gains across key indicators, including a 16 percent reduction in child stunting and a significant expansion in access to tertiary education.
"These improvements reflect sustained policy reforms and targeted government interventions aimed at strengthening human development outcomes," the statement added.
