The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has defended the staffing and operational capacity of Kenya’s Embassy in Rabat following concerns raised in a parliamentary report about the mission.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said on Saturday, September 5, that the mission, which was approved in 2018 and opened in 2024, is fully staffed and effectively representing Kenya’s interests in Morocco and the wider region.

“Our Mission in Rabat is fully staffed and equipped to advance Kenya’s strategic interests in Morocco and the Northern Africa region generally,” he stated.

His response follows a report presented to the National Assembly in July that highlighted staffing gaps and Ksh23 million in pending bills at the embassy.

📌 What You Need to Know

The report also claimed that the embassy lacked a dedicated translator, compromising the mission’s ability to conduct its diplomatic duties effectively.

In a statement, the embassy disputed the concerns over language capacity, saying it has personnel proficient in both French and Arabic and that translation has not been a challenge in its day-to-day engagements with Moroccan authorities.

“The Mission has members of staff who are proficient in both French and Arabic, and language or translation is therefore not an issue in the Mission’s day to day operations. The Embassy remains committed to effective communication and to strengthening the excellent relations between Kenya and Morocco. It is always helpful for public commentary to be based on verified facts,” the statement read.

Neither the embassy nor Sing’Oei addressed the claims over the pending bills; however, the PS pointed to the expansion of Kenya-Morocco relations since the mission became operational two years ago as evidence of its capacity to conduct diplomatic work.

He said the two countries have signed 11 cooperation agreements covering areas including agriculture, education, fisheries, justice and security.

Sing’Oei said these developments demonstrate that the mission has been able to maintain effective communication with its Moroccan counterparts .

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke