- Gachagua said the government is looking into how to safeguard their investments in Kenya to encourage more remittances.
- He said taxpayers must benefit from the investment in these missions
Image: PCS
Being a Kenyan diplomat is coveted assignment, notably for its perks, often a reward to losers, and winners, who need some compensation
But it won't be the usual rounds of cocktails, per forma gatherings, parties, national days and the standard leisurely, luxury 'work' of Kenyan diplomats.
Nowadays, envoys will be expected to actually work. Some, of course do so already.
Ambassadors, high commissioners and heads of mission abroad must now sign two-year performance targets and 70 per cent of their work will be promoting the country's products, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said.
Speaking on Monday evening when he engaged Kenyans living in Rome, Italy, Gachagua said delivery on the targets will be a measure of renewal of diplomats contracts.
"All these ambassadors are going to market Kenyan products and hold frequent discussions with the host country on how to get the best deals for our products," he said.
The DP said the ambassadors will be expected to submit monthly reports showing who they have met to market Kenyan products and what deals they had made.
"We will soon meet with all our ambassadors, high commissioners and their deputies and they will sign a two-year Memorandums of Understanding committing to these targets," he said.
Gachagua said the taxpayer must benefit from the investment of running these missions, adding that promoting tea, coffee, horticultural crops and other produce will increase foreign exchange.
Performance targets will be based on assessment of the market needs of the foreign country, he said, adding that economic diplomacy is the new way of operating under President William Ruto's administration.
"We want to move away from the traditional diplomacy of attending meetings, cocktails, barbecues and such. Seventy percent of their work will be to pursue commercial interests of our country, to market our agricultural produce, to make sure our exporters get the best deals," the Deputy President said.
Gachagua also challenged the Kenyans in Italy to work closely with the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, which he said has been specifically formed to handle their issues.
"The diaspora is critical in our economic development. The remittance is now our number one source of foreign exchange earner ahead of tourism, coffee and tea. That's why we want to engage the diaspora further," he said.
Gachagua said the government is looking into how to safeguard their investments in Kenya to encourage more remittances.
"We are looking at how the government can guarantee their investments back home. Many of them have been conned and swindled of their hard-earned money, but we want to create a Diaspora Fund guaranteed by the government so that as they come home their savings are intact," he said.
Issues raised by the Kenyans included requests for faster renewal of expired passports, the need for better working relations with the embassy and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and connection to job opportunities.
Kenyans Diaspora in Italy Association official Steve Ogongo praised the government for creation of the diaspora state department, saying they will work with it to solve issues facing them.
“We are ready to have a constructive dialogue with the government that will be helpful to us and Kenyans back home,” Ogongo said.
Present was Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu, her Treasury counterpart Chris Kiptoo and Kenyan ambassador to Italy Jackline Yonga.
Gachagua's wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, accompanied him to the meeting.
On Tuesday morning, the DP held discussions with World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain and United Arab Emirates Minister for Climate Change and Environment Miriam Almheiri at the Food and Agriculture Organization offices in Rome,.
They discussed integration of climate smart agriculture in production of school meals.
He said Kenya was ahead of many countries in implementation of strategies to fight vagaries of climate change and rolling out free school meals.
The DP said the country was on course to provide meals to more than 10 million schoolchildren by 2030.
He also met with FAO director general Qu Dongyu and emphasised the need to strengthen the working relationship with the organization.
He said the the Ruto administration is keen to work with FAO to boost food production. Dr Dongyu promised to enhance the organisation’s office in Nairobi in response to the DP's request for support.
The DP held discussions with Mariam Almheiri, United Arab Emirate's Minister for Climate Change and Environment.
The UAE will host COP28 in December, about two months after the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi in September.
The two leaders discussed interlinkage between Climate Change and food systems as Kenya seeks to firm up climate action initiatives.