Cities Ongoing – Impacts of large-scale infrastructure developments on coastal biodiversity: A case of LAPSSET infrastructure project in Lamu

Lamu County coastal and marine environment is endowed with a variety of natural resources ranging from Fish and Livestock, Minerals, Wildlife, Sandy Beaches, Marine Ecosystem and conducive weather greatly contributing to the social and economic livelihood of a rapidly growing population through crop production, livestock production, fisheries, tourism and mining. These natural resources together with a capable human resource form the basic ingredients of the Country’s economic growth by facilitating Kenya’s socio-economic development agenda.

The Lamu Port South-Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Program is a regional multimodal infrastructure program integrating roads, railway and oil pipeline components in Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia. The Program is the single largest project of its nature in Eastern Africa and is intended to provide seamless connectivity, enhance trade and logistics within the region by providing an alternative and strategic corridor to serve the landlocked neighboring countries of Ethiopia and South Sudan. The corridor covers over half of the country with a planned investment resource of about US$25 Billion, equivalent to half of Kenya’s GDP for the core investment alone. It is anticipated that the project will inject between 2% to 3% of GDP into the economy and it is expected to contribute 8% to 10% when generated and attracted investments finally come on board.