Foreign Affairs CS Monica Juma has said Kenya aims to be a friend to all, and there is no intention to choose sides or be caught in proxy battles. Addressing the press on the state of diplomacy, she said it’s part of the key principles that anchor the nation’s diplomacy. Others include the fact that Kenya aims to be successful and vibrant, “Hence our aspiration to become a competitive nation.”
Moreover, she said Kenya must preserve the ability to make decisions based on our own national interests and that we promote and believe in a rule-based order within the framework of international laws and norms.
Foreign policy is seen as a vital cog in any nation’s administration and has boosted many services in the region, including the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor which is meant to boost infrastructure and trade.
With President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda, foreign policy has become more important as international partnerships and good relations play a part in improving services in target sectors to fulfil the agendas, a good example being the importation of Cuban doctors.