Amb.Dr.Peter Mutuku Mathuki,PhD

We want to build Kenyan cities that are not just bigger, but smarter, greener and more liveable, creating jobs, unlocking opportunities for young people and improving the quality of life for every Kenyan. Accompanied H.E. President @WilliamsRuto on a tour of a 1,140-acre Smart City development on the outskirts of Moscow, spearheaded by Sberbank Group, Russia’s largest financial conglomerate. The impressive project features 65,000 housing units, thousands of office spaces, a hospital, schools, modern waste management facilities and environmentally sustainable infrastructure, demonstrating how technology can transform urban living. The lessons from this development offer valuable insights as we pursue affordable housing, smarter infrastructure, efficient public services and sustainable cities back home.

Strong international friendships must translate into stronger economies, thriving businesses and more jobs for our people. Kenya is taking its partnership with Russia to the next level. In Moscow, met Hon. Maxim Reshetnikov, Russia’s Minister of Economic Development, to advance the proposed establishment of the Intergovernmental Kenya–Russia Commission on Economic Cooperation. The Commission will provide a structured platform to expand trade, attract investment and strengthen cooperation in key economic sectors, opening new possibilities for Kenyan exporters, entrepreneurs and industries. Building on H.E. President @WilliamsRuto’s visit to Moscow, we are working to turn our longstanding diplomatic ties into practical partnerships that can unlock new markets, support local businesses and create opportunities for our young people.

Kenya’s voice on the global stage must be clear, confident and consequential, and our diplomacy must deliver for the people we represent. At the Diplomatic Briefing in Nairobi, I engaged the Diplomatic Corps on Kenya’s six strategic priorities, a peaceful, free and credible 2027 General Election, economic growth through trade and investment, deeper African integration, harnessing the strength of our diaspora, advancing peace and security, and confronting emerging global challenges including food insecurity, climate change and health threats. These priorities are ultimately about protecting Kenya’s interests while turning our global relationships into jobs, investment, bigger markets, stronger institutions and greater opportunities for our young people. From Nairobi, Africa’s Diplomatic Capital, Kenya will continue to shape conversations beyond our borders, champion African-led solutions, defend multilateralism and engage the world with a strong, principled and confident voice.

Held discussions with Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), on the ongoing Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Eastern Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Dr. Kaseya briefed me on the current epidemiological situation and the coordinated response measures being undertaken by Africa CDC, African governments and global health partners, including the World Health Organization, to contain the outbreak and strengthen regional preparedness. The interventions include enhanced disease surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory diagnostics, infection prevention measures, border health monitoring and community awareness campaigns aimed at preventing further cross-border transmission. I welcomed the ongoing efforts by Africa CDC and reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to regional health security and collective action in responding to public health emergencies. I also shared Kenya’s preparedness measures, including strengthening of national surveillance and emergency response systems to safeguard public health and regional resilience.

Kenya’s growing global footprint took another major step forward as I accompanied H.E. President @WilliamsRuto on his maiden visit to Astana, Kazakhstan. Upon arrival, I held bilateral talks with H.E. Yermek Kosherbayev, Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, where we reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to deepen cooperation across key sectors including mining, trade, investment and labour mobility. Our discussions focused on expanding markets for Kenya’s tea, coffee and cut flowers, while advancing structured labour mobility programmes that safeguard the welfare and rights of Kenyan professionals abroad. We also explored new areas of collaboration in transport and logistics, ICT and the digital economy, sports, tourism and nuclear energy, particularly on peaceful applications and energy diversification. The engagements reflect a shared ambition to strengthen economic ties, unlock new opportunities and build a modern partnership driven by innovation, skills exchange and mutual growth.

Kenya’s engagement with the Russian Federation continues to expand, as I held strategic consultations with H.E. Vsevolod Tkachenko on shared priorities. We focused on advancing cooperation in nuclear energy, space technology, trade and investment, and structured labour mobility, while also fast-tracking the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation and unlocking opportunities within Kenya’s Special Economic Zones. A key part of our discussions centred on the welfare of Kenyan nationals affected by the conflict in Ukraine, with both sides agreeing to sustain close engagement on consular support and protection. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to deepening a practical, results-driven partnership that delivers value for both countries.

A strong and purposeful close to the four-day 19th Ambassadors’ Conference, as our Ambassadors and High Commissioners return to their stations with a clear mandate, showcase a confident, forward-looking and competitive Kenya to the world. H.E. President @WilliamsRuto set the tone, calling on our diplomats to actively market a Kenya on a positive trajectory and to seize every opportunity to position our country as a destination for investment, trade and partnership. His message was clear, we have one country, and we must tell its story boldly and consistently. Deputy President Prof. @_KithureKindiki reinforced this call to action, urging our envoys to lead with discipline, focus and selfless service as they advance Kenya’s interests globally. Coming after nearly a decade, this Conference marks a renewed push to energise our missions abroad, aligning them with the recently adopted Foreign Policy framework and Sessional Paper, and equipping them to deliver results. Our diplomats now move with clarity, purpose and direction, driving Kenya’s global engagement and positioning our country firmly on a path of growth, opportunity and transformation.