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CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
KENYAN ambassadors from different countries in the Middle East region met at a three-day regional retreat to conduct a general review of Kenya's diplomatic strategy and its position in the global arena.
The event organised by Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held for the first time in Qatar.
Ambassadors, charge d'affaires and representatives from Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and others were present at the closed door meeting attended by officials from the Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune on the sidelines of the meeting, Kenyan Ambassador to Qatar HE Galma Mukhe Boru said,"The aim of this meeting is to know the importance of Middle East to Kenya and to define our strategic position within the region."
On her part, Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Monica Juma said the meeting was part of the usual government review.
"We are coming to the end of the first term of the Kenyan president's tenure and we are looking at the diplomatic footprint to see how we have performed," she said.
She added that they have been holding meetings with ambassadors from various regions for a diplomatic review.
"We are now in a fast changing environment and a lot of things have happened which have its ramifications. For us, we have our traditional partners. There are a lot of changes around the world, particularly in Europe, and we are engaging more and more with the rest of the world like Far East, Middle East and others. We have a foreign strategy, but part of this meeting is to review how we have performed," Juma further said.
Speaking at a reception held with African ambassadors the previous evening, Juma said,"Africa and the Middle East enjoy a cordial relationship which dates back several centuries. As our continent arises in terms of security and prosperity, it is imperative to continue engaging and reflecting on our common understanding of the dynamics that underpin our common future not only within our continent, but also with other continents and regions we engage with, like the Middle East."
