Kenya: MFA Drops Pre-Authorization for Meetings Between Foreign Missions and Ministries

2 March 2023
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Jeremiah Wakaya

Nairobi — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cleared Foreign Missions in the country to engage ministries directly without its pre-authorization as envisaged in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The decision conveyed by the Foreign Office on Wednesday seeks to promote efficiency by reduce bureaucracy.

"Missions may communicate directly with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Government of Kenya without going through Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs," in a diplomatic note.

MFA however noted that correspondence should be shared with the Ministry.

The Foreign Office will further require Foreign Missions, United Nations Agencies and International Organizations to relay the outcomes of deliberations with ministries within three days.

"In the interest of coordination, the forgoing is subject to requirement by the Missions to avail a report to the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs on the held deliberation and decision undertaken within three days of the meeting," MFA advised.

Further, the ministry ceded the coordination of diplomatic engagements involving multiple ministries to the Office of the Deputy President.

"Requests of meetings of cross cutting nature and that involve more than one Ministry, it is advised that such requests should be made through the office of the Deputy President for the coordination purposes," MFA stated.

Performance Management

The realignment in cooperation between government ministries and foreign missions comes at a time President William Ruto's administration has committed Cabinet Secretaries to performance contracting in a bid to secure the realization of campaign pledges through an outcome-based approach.

The diplomatic note was issued a day after a Cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi, reviewed appraisals for FY2021/22 contracting cycle for ministries, State departments and agencies.

Ruto elevated performance management to the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary.

"This is expected to entrench productivity as the Administration's Mantra while also enhance accountability," a public memo containing the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting read in part.

"To realize this objective, the Administration's first contracting cycle will crystalize the Ministerial Priorities approved during the Cabinet Retreat held at the

beginning of the year," it added.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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