The Government has insisted that the Kenya Foreign Policy 2024 must meet diplomatic standards on integrity and should be consistent to fit into the evolving global dynamics.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi assured there will be no room for flip-flopping, with the policy expected to be a fit-for-purpose document.
He said the revised policy will be critical in shaping and re-defining Kenya’s position on the international front, and must culminate in a document that reflects the aspirations of the citizens.
“We have decided to break from the past and be forward-looking as we take the foreign policy to the people to ensure we move along with Kenyans in our diplomatic engagements. The objective is to pull together for a common goal as a nation,” said Mudavadi.
Mudavadi also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs was speaking during a public stakeholders’ validation forum at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
Monday’s validation exercise paved the way for the final input of the views from the broader public ahead of a high-level retreat with President William Ruto to finalise the process before the official launch slated for early December.
“Public participation is a fundamental principle of Kenya's democratic governance and is enshrined in our country's constitution. We have to be alive to the fact that the ultimate good of a country's foreign policy lies within the aspirations of its citizens enshrined in an all-of-society approach that reflects the views, interests and values of the citizens,” Mudavadi said.
The ministry has held several roundtable discussions and consultations with a wide range of stakeholders including government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, civil society organisations, media, academicians, ambassadors and high commissioners, Council of Governors, Parliament, youth and judiciary.
Mudavadi said the policy must be anchored on broader ownership and be citizen-centred as the sovereign power of the nation lies with the people.
“How can we utilise our foreign policy to inculcate in our people patriotism and a fervent desire to positively project our country’s image in the international arena?” he posed.
He stated that there should be a mechanism to close the missing link between the country’s foreign policy and the citizen’s understanding and engagement in the country’s international affairs.
