Inside revised Kenya Foreign Policy 2024 document

Kenya on Monday launched the reviewed foreign policy document.

According to the Foreign Affairs ministry, the document, which reviews the first documented Kenyan Foreign Policy of 2014, seeks to “promote and protect Kenya’s interests and image on the global stage through a forward-thinking and innovative approach to diplomacy”.

The launch, which was led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who is also in charge of Foreign Affairs, was decorated with performances, a screening of Kenya’s diplomatic journey since independence, an award ceremony, and speeches.

Other documents launched alongside the reviewed Kenya Foreign Policy were strategic plans for the state departments of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs, the protocol manual, ICT policy and Legal Book Environmental Diplomacy.

The reviewed policy has updated the five pillars of the 2014 document—peace diplomacy, economic diplomacy, diaspora diplomacy, environmental diplomacy, and cultural diplomacy—to seven focus areas.

These are peace and security diplomacy, economic and commercial diplomacy, social cultural diplomacy, diaspora diplomacy, digital diplomacy, environmental and climate diplomacy, and global governance and multilateral diplomacy.

While there is not much departure from the 2014 document, the new policy details the sectors under the focus areas, listing, among other sectors, trade and investment, sustainable blue economy and maritime, tourism, creative economy, and transformation of Kenya Missions Abroad to Economic Hubs under the Economic and Commercial Diplomacy focus area.

It also acknowledges emerging trends in 21st diplomatic practices such as parliamentary diplomacy, digital and cyberspace diplomacy, global health diplomacy, maritime issues, and blue economy, as well as conference diplomacy.

The policy lists its nine key national interests as territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security of the citizenry; political stability, economic growth, and prosperity; constitutionalism and rule of law; national values and principles of governance; environmental sustainability and climate action; strategic regional leadership and global competitiveness and collaboration; peaceful coexistence; resolution of conflict through peaceful means and thought leadership.

 Under the social-cultural focus area, the policy lists culture, sports, education, and global health as sectors of focus.

 PCS and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi highlighted Kenya’s growing influence on the world stage.

"Today, we celebrate six decades of remarkable diplomatic milestones that have positioned Kenya as a regional and global powerhouse. With 109 diplomatic missions and 148 international organizations hosted on our soil, we are proud to be a beacon of cooperation and leadership.”

"From hosting UNEP and UNON to regional offices of major financial institutions, Kenya continues to champion environmental diplomacy, regional integration, and partnerships that uplift all Kenyans,” Mudavadi said.

The PCS said the new policy is an outcome of extensive stakeholder engagement of the review of the 2014 document.

"The revised foreign policy document is a bold, people-centred and forward-looking framework designed to address contemporary global dynamics in a rapidly mutating global environment,” Mudavadi said.

He noted that climate change, global health crises, digital transformation, and evolving geopolitical dynamics will continue to shape our posture, calling for a more adaptive and strategic approach,” he said, noting that the documents reflect the evolving Kenya’s priorities.

The document will be translated to Kiswahili, and public awareness dubbed “Foreign Affairs Mashinani” undertaken across the country to ensure Kenyans engage with the document.

It will also be taken to Parliament as a sessional paper to enrich it through the people’s representatives.

PS Korir Sing’Oei (Foreign Affairs) termed the new document as “Twiga diplomacy,” that is foresighted, adaptive, agile, and dignifying, one that seeks to unlock “the African advantage” and enhancing her bargaining position and Kenya’s place and role in it.

"This policy centres citizens and the diaspora as both owners and drivers of the policy, identifying their agency, innovation, and participation as integral to the realization of our foreign policy objectives. Two, it reinforces regionalism by seeking to rationalize our national interests with regional integration within the context of a ruptured multilateral order,” PS Korir said.

He added that the collection action under the policy will be regionally cultivated, constructed, and pursued under the centrality of the African Union, the African Continental Free Trade Area, Regional Economic Communities in the search for Kenya’s economic interests.

The policy, he added, catapults climate action as an urgent imperative and antidote to the present and existential threats posed by climate change through green-energy powered economy. Additionally, he said the policy makes practical peaceful coexistence “beyond doctrine by seeking enhanced capability for proactive mediation and proposing the mobilization of local and regional mechanisms as vanguards for peace diplomacy engagements.”.

 Fifth, he noted the policy balances Kenya’s commitments and advocacy for fair and inclusive multilateralism, appreciating emerging pluralism at the international system to address collective challenges