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President William Ruto has reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to diplomacy, economic growth, and regional stability in his New Year Diplomatic Address delivered at State House, Nairobi, to heads of mission and international organisations.
In his speech, President Ruto highlighted Kenya’s achievements in foreign policy, economic recovery, and regional security efforts, while also setting the stage for deeper diplomatic engagements in 2025 and beyond.
Strengthening Diplomatic Ties
The president announced that the New Year Diplomatic Address will now be an annual event, aimed at enhancing Kenya’s international cooperation.
He emphasised Kenya’s expanding diplomatic footprint, which has grown from six missions at independence to 70 today.
In a significant policy shift, Kenya’s Foreign Policy 2024 was launched last December to align the country’s diplomatic approach with evolving global trends.
The policy focuses on regional integration, economic diplomacy, climate justice, and international financial reforms.
Economic Transformation and Job Creation
Ruto outlined Kenya’s economic recovery strategy, emphasising job creation, digital innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Key highlights included:
Affordable Housing Projects, which are creating jobs and improving living standards.
The Hustler Fund, which has disbursed Sh60 billion to small businesses.
Expansion of fibre optic connectivity, with over 18,000km already laid.
Bilateral labour agreements to create job opportunities for Kenyan youth abroad.
He reiterated Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which focuses on agriculture, manufacturing, MSMEs, housing, healthcare, and the creative economy.
Regional Stability and Security Efforts
The president reaffirmed Kenya’s leadership in peace and security, citing the country’s role in peace processes across DR Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia.
He condemned recent attacks on diplomatic missions in DRC, calling on the Congolese government to ensure the safety of peacekeeping forces.
He urged the international community to establish structured funding mechanisms for peace efforts, saying inconsistent financing has delayed conflict resolution.
Support for Raila Odinga’s AU Candidacy
President Ruto also endorsed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as Kenya’s nominee for Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
He described Odinga as a "distinguished pan-Africanist" capable of leading Africa’s premier institution toward greater effectiveness.
Climate Change and Multilateral Reforms
On climate action, the president stressed Kenya’s commitment to renewable energy, with 93% of electricity now generated from green sources.
“Domestically, Kenya has made remarkable progress in transitioning to a green economy, with over 93% of our grid electricity generated from renewable sources such as geothermal, wind and solar.
“Our National Tree Growing Restoration Campaign, targeting 15 billion trees by 2032, is on course. In 2024, our efforts led to the planting and growing of 750 million trees,” he said.
He called for equitable climate financing, urging world leaders to honour their pledges ahead of COP30.
Additionally, he pushed for United Nations reforms, arguing that Africa’s 54 nations (28% of UN membership) deserve greater representation in global governance.
The president ended his speech by inviting the diplomatic community to explore more trade, investment, and development partnerships with Kenya.