Protocol duties to missions accredited to Kenya

A significant role of the Addis Ababa Embassy involves interfacing with missions based in Addis that are accredited to Kenya.  The mission handles some 25 such African missions. These missions are categorized into six:

  • 6 PSC members, namely Benin, Chad, Cote d’voire, Equatorial Guinea – (current Chair of the African Union), Mali, and Mauritania.
  • 3 Countries from central Africa namely Congo-Brazzaville, Central Africa Republic and Gabon (currently in the UNSC).
  • 6 Western African countries namely the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Burkina Faso (current Dean of West African group), Cameroun and Guinea Conakry.
  • Southern/Northern African countries, namely Lesotho, Swaziland, Mauritius, Madagascar and Tunisia.
  • Other Countries (4 countries namely Vape Vade, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe and Seychelles).

Bilaterals – Ethiopia

The mission is seeking to revitalize the bilateral relations with the Government of Ethiopia in order to translate the current optimal political relations into tangible economic and social benefits for both Kenya and Ethiopia.

Work relating to Ethiopia is organized around three platforms namely the Federal government structures, Regional Governments and the Business Community.

Overall the areas of engagement include peace and security including the promotion of cross border cooperation, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry, infrastructural development, including renewable energy, agriculture, Trans-border resources particularly shared waters, the environment as well as social and cultural issues.

There are also eight regional governments, namely Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, Somali, Benishangul –Gumuz, SNNP, Harari; and two chartered cities of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa.  Of critical importance to Kenya are three regions, namely Somalia, Oromia and SNNP which have critical implications for cross border trade, security and migration of people and services.

These three regions are the connections points for a growing people to people integration between Kenya and Ethiopia.