The government is actively exploring initiatives to support young Kenyans to secure internships with the United Nations and other prominent global institutions, Foreign and Diaspora CS Musalia Mudavadi has said.
He said the initiative is aimed at increasing the presence of Kenyan citizens in influential positions on the global stage.
Mudavadi, who also doubles up as the Prime CS, said the internships will serve as pathways to long-term career opportunities within strategic global organisations.
“Once the necessary frameworks are finalised, we anticipate placing numerous Kenyans in both entry-level and managerial roles through one- to two-year internship programmes,” he said.
Mudavadi made the remarks during discussions with Kenyans currently employed at the UN on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the US.
He had accompanied President William Ruto at the forum held to address Kenyans’ concerns.
Also present were Kenya’s candidate for the AUC chair, Raila Odinga, Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho and Narok Senator Ledama Olekina.
Mudavadi said beyond the internship programme, the government is also focused on formalising the Kenya UN Club, which has at least 400 members and has the potential to register up to 1,800 Kenyans working in New York City.
“Additionally, we are advocating for the adoption of Kiswahili as an official UN language. This initiative would not only enhance the visibility of Kiswahili but also create significant employment opportunities for Kenyans and other Swahili-speaking nations, as all UN documents from 1945 to the present would require translation,” the Prime CS revealed.
Earlier, a US-Kenya Business and Investment Roundtable said Kenya boosts of the best human resource globally and encouraged US investors to take advantage of that very key resource to spur their industries.
He said additionally, Kenya was enriching her policies and the legal framework to better meet the needs of international investors.
“An improved business climate, combined with our country’s properly educated workforce and abundant renewable energy resources, makes Kenya the ideal destination for trade and investment,” the President said.
Among those present during the forum were the President and CEO, the Corporate Council on Africa, Florizelle Liser, chairman of the Corporate Council on Africa, John Olajide, chairman of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Jas Bedi, among others.
