Foreign Service Academy starts Pre-deployment training for diplomats

The Foreign Service Acadamy has launched a 14-working-day induction and pre-departure programme for newly appointed Directors and Deputy Directors and officers proceeding on posting, preparing them for new responsibilities in an increasingly complex and competitive international environment.

Opening the programme on Monday on behalf of the Principal Secretary, Ambassador Josphat K. Maikara, EBS, Director General, Political and Diplomatic Affairs, said the officers were assuming their responsibilities at a time when shifts in global economic power were reshaping international relations.

“Economic power is more broadly dispersed, and competition among nations is increasingly conducted through tariffs, technological restrictions and investment screening, alongside traditional diplomatic means,” Amb. Maikara said.

He noted that multilateral institutions were under strain and trade rules had become less settled, creating risks for Kenya while also opening opportunities in emerging markets, shifting alignments and through the value placed on stable and credible regional partners.

He said Kenya’s ability to navigate these changes would depend in part on the quality of advice and decisions made by officers serving at headquarters and in diplomatic missions abroad.

Amb. Maikara described foreign policy as an instrument for advancing Kenya’s development objectives internationally, including opening markets for Kenyan goods and services, attracting investment and securing partnerships in technology and skills in line with the priorities of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

He also highlighted the Foreign Service’s role in protecting Kenyans abroad, supporting Nairobi’s position as a multilateral centre and advancing Kenya’s contribution to Africa’s peace and security.

“Our task is to give that policy effect, and the offices you are taking up are where it is put into practice,” he said.

The Acting Director General of the Foreign Service Academy said the programme was designed to give participants a practical understanding of the Foreign Service and their responsibilities.

The Academy is a Semi-Autonomous Government Agency established under the Foreign Service Act, 2021. It provides diplomatic training, capacity building and professional development, as well as foreign policy research, analysis, consultancy and policy dialogue.

The 14-working-day programme covers the legal and institutional framework governing the Foreign Service, national interests and foreign policy, international law and the Vienna Conventions, protocol and etiquette, official communication, negotiation and professional conduct.

It also addresses Kenya’s engagement with Africa and the African Union, regional and multilateral diplomacy and bilateral relations across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East, alongside economic and Diaspora diplomacy.

Amb. Maikara described the Diaspora as an important national asset, noting that missions serve as the first point of contact for Kenyans abroad while helping connect skills, capital and professional networks to opportunities at home.

Officers proceeding on posting will be prepared for responsibilities including representing Kenya before host governments, negotiating agreements, promoting trade and investment, engaging the Diaspora and leading mission staff.

Amb. Maikara stressed that effective diplomacy abroad also depends on coordination among Government institutions on issues such as trade negotiations, labour migration, climate finance and regional security.

“The Ministry meets its objectives when we all work as a team,” he said.

For Directors and Deputy Directors, the programme focuses on leadership, management and accountability, including managing teams and public resources, negotiating on behalf of Kenya, representing the State Department within Government and before Parliament, building partnerships and advising political leadership.

Amb. Maikara urged senior officers to mentor colleagues and adopt a results-oriented approach, with performance contracts, work plans and targets demonstrating tangible institutional outcomes.

“You will be asked what your directorate or Embassy has produced, and your response should focus on results rather than activity,” he said.

Public financial management, procurement, accounting and administrative procedures for officers on posting form part of the training, alongside ethics, diplomatic protocol, security and confidentiality.

Officers from the National Intelligence Service are expected to address document and physical security, communications handling and cyber risks. The programme also examines technology and new media, including their implications for official communication and information management.

Leadership, emotional intelligence, performance management and personal wellness complete the training.

Amb. Maikara commended the Foreign Service Academy for bringing together facilitators from Government, academia and the diplomatic community to support the professional development of participants.

He urged participants to promote Kenya’s interests, strengthen the institutions in which they serve and raise the quality and impact of the country’s diplomatic work.

“Kenya’s standing abroad is built through work of this kind, which is done in the service of the Kenyan people,” he said.