>@Richard Willis/EIB

EIB Vice President, Plutarchos Sakellaris, paying a visit to the Maasai Community

During a three day visit to Kenya, Vice President Sakellaris inaugurated a number of key projects financed by the Bank. This includes the upgrading loan and technical assistance grant to minimise airport disruption during the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, a fibre optic communications link along the Nairobi Mombassa high-voltage electricity line and the Olkaria geothermal power plant.

The brief visit also gave the opportunity to see at first hand the benefits of microfinance operations the Bank finances through funds, the delegation went to two projects supported by the Kenyan Women's Finance Trust in Naivasha.

Yesterday Kenyan President Kibaki commended the EIB in providing financial support for projects key to the country's economic growth and Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta thanked the Bank for its support of SMEs in the country.

The EIB delegation also met with CEOs of Kenya's leading banks and business leaders.

An interview with CNBC Africa further increased the Bank's visibility in the region and understanding of the wide range of projects supported. (Click here to see the interview)

The Luxembourg delegation met their Nairobi based colleagues where the Bank has had a regional representation for the last five years.