Good year for Kenya in the global arena

Kenya’s position on the world stage was expected to dwindle with the election of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto as President and Deputy President while they still faced crimes against humanity charges.

Two years later, the President’s case was dropped while his deputy is still battling the ICC case.

The government says 2015 was a successful year as far as international relations is concerned.

In July, State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu told journalists that Kenya was a global attraction, going by the number of guests arriving.

“It puts paid to the talk in some quarters that our relationship with the outside world needs repair and it silences those who doubted the Jubilee government’s management of foreign policy,” he said at State House.

Since January, US President Barack Obama, Liberian leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Roman Catholic head, the Aga Khan, Italian PM Mateo Renzi and heads of state from the East African Community as well as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development have toured Nairobi.

In addition, 12 foreign ministers, several country representatives, a number of business delegations, top UN diplomats and business leaders have toured Kenya.

In 2015, Kenya hosted foreign ministers from Iran, China the US, the UK, Czech Republic, Norway, Germany, Zambia, Rwanda, Turkey, Uganda among others.

In January, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi started with Nairobi on his annual Africa tour.

He said Beijing would support industrial technology transfer to Kenya.

This was not surprising, given Mr Kenyatta’s recent engagements with China.

In 2013, the President made at least 10 foreign trips in his first year in office and China was the first Asian country he visited.

A FANTASTIC YEAR
Mr Wang’s visit came at time Kenya was holding 70 Chinese suspected of engaging in cyber crime.

When Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif came to Nairobi in February, his office said he was keen on issues of “mutual interest as well as regional and international matterss” like dealing with terrorism.

This was followed in March by the visit of British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.”

Iran and the UK have been on opposing sides on many international issues but it appears Kenya is a common friend in combating terrorism.

In April, Italy’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni was in the country just days after the killing of 148 people at Garissa University College by Al-Shabaab terrorists.

He pledged support in the war on terrorism and promised scholarships to survivors.

In May, US Secretary of State John Kerry pledged Sh9.6 billion to combat extremism.

In June, French Minister for Foreign Trade Matthias Fekl came to Nairobi to launch a digital radio network at Kenya Wildlife Service.

The system is meant to help combat poaching.

The biggest visit was that of US President Obama.

He came to Nairobi to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. It was Mr Obama’s first visit to Kenya since he became head of state in 2008.

Away from the GES, Kenya signed an anti-corruption deal with the US that could see closer cooperation between the two in the fight against corruption.

Since then, the US has blacklisted a number of public figures from stepping on its soil.

Mr Obama’s tour was preceded by the visit of Italian Prime Minister Renzi.

Mr Renzi held talks with President Kenyatta before delivering a lecture at the University of Nairobi.

Then there was Pope Francis who came to Nairobi and who delivered a powerful message to land grabbers in November.

VISA PROBLEM

But was the year a success? Some critics say while Kenya attracted the best globally, its service to citizens abroad was wanting.

The case in point was the visa conditions Kenyans faced when travelling to South Africa even as citizens of that country got visas at ports of entry here.

Before august, South Africa charged an application fee of Sh6,000 on “free” month-long visa of and another Sh6,000 to Kenyans wishing to stay longer.

This meant a single application to be in South Africa for more than 30 days cost Sh12,000.

That excluded other conditions like bank accounts and proof that one would come back before expiry of the visa.

Enraged Kenyans argued that they were being shortchanged.

That seemed to change in August when Kenya signed an agreement with South Africa’s Immigration Services on transit visa, single entry visa, business, medical and student visas, change of immigration status, visa application fees and travel arrangements for government officials.

That meant the application fees would be reduced from Sh6,800 to Sh4700. It was still a raw deal because South Africans don’t pay that fee.