NAIROBI, Kenya Sept 3 – NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto on Wednesday received and accepted the credentials of nine envoys beginning their tour of duty in Kenya at State House, Nairobi.
The new ambassadors pledged to deepen ties between Kenya and their respective nations for the mutual benefit of their peoples. President Ruto assured them of his government’s commitment to work together in advancing cooperation across priority areas.
The envoys are Ambassadors Tyas Baskoro Her Witjaksono Adji (Indonesia), Jaime Alejandro (Spain), Riina-Riikka Heikka (Finland), Maroš Mitrík (Slovak Republic), Dzmitry Krasouski (Belarus), Leon Francois Yandouma (Congo), Håkan Åkesson (Sweden), Gideon Behar (Israel), and Joshua Brebner Tabah, the High Commissioner of Canada.
Adji, with more than three decades of experience in international affairs, is concurrently accredited to Uganda, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat in Nairobi. He said he looks forward to advancing cooperation in sectors including the blue economy, transport, defence, and mining.
Alejandro, a Spanish career diplomat since 2006, has previously served in Chile, Israel, South Africa, and Mozambique. He said he is keen to build on the existing bilateral relations.
Heikka, Finland’s former envoy to Nepal, said ties between Kenya and Finland are “excellent, active, comprehensive and ambitious” and pledged to strengthen them further.
Mitrík, a Slovak diplomat with experience in Uzbekistan and Belarus, said his focus will be on pragmatic and mutually beneficial partnerships.
Tabah, who has served in Colombia, Geneva, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, said Canada is eager to boost collaboration in economic and humanitarian fields, with a strong emphasis on private sector cooperation.
Krasouski, an economist from Belarus, previously headed the country’s National Agency for Investment and Privatisation. He said he will prioritise trade, investment, education, and cultural exchange with Kenya.
Yandouma of Congo, a long-serving military officer, was most recently defence attaché in South Africa. He underscored his commitment to building stronger defence and bilateral ties.
Åkesson of Sweden, formerly envoy to France, reaffirmed the close friendship between Kenya and Sweden, which spans over six decades, and pledged continued partnership in multilateral forums to promote peace and prosperity.
Behar of Israel, a seasoned diplomat and former Special Envoy for Climate Change and Sustainability, said he will prioritise cooperation in addressing climate change and environmental challenges, alongside strengthening existing bilateral ties.
