Enhancing Kenya’s Foreign Policy

Tuesday, 30/07/2024: Kenya Association of Manufacturers, represented by Chief Executive Anthony Mwangi, participated in the Colloquium on the Review of Kenya’s Foreign Policy held in Nairobi. The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and attended by top government officials, including Hon. Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Amb. Dr. Monica Juma, Principal Secretaries, private sector representatives, Academia, among other stakeholders.

Foreign policy is anchored in five interlinked pillars of diplomacy: Economic, Peace, Environmental, Cultural, and Diaspora. Economic diplomacy aims to achieve a robust and sustained economic transformation to secure Kenya’s social and economic development in line with the Kenya Vision 2030 goals.

In alignment with the national goal of increasing the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP to 20% by 2030, KAM is driving an export-led industrialization agenda. Our strategy focuses on tapping into global market opportunities to grow Kenya’s total exports from KSh 780 billion to KSh 1.8 trillion and boost manufactured goods exports from KSh 233 billion to KSh 1 trillion by 2030.

It is important to recognize that Kenya is a continental leader in globalization, engaging actively at both bilateral and multilateral levels through its participation in the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and the free trade agreements with the United Kingdom (Kenya-UK) and the European Union (Kenya-EU) as well as the World Trade Organization (WTO).

As Kenya enters regional integration, enhancing competitiveness involves improving domestic industries, trade infrastructure, and adopting business-friendly policies. Strengthening public-private partnerships will align foreign policy with business needs, supporting competitiveness. These initiatives will enhance Kenya’s economic and commercial diplomacy, benefiting manufacturers and positioning the country as a key global player.