The Kenya Embassy in Washington, DC invites Kenyans resident in the US to join one of the sub-committees in the planning of the 2013 Diaspora Conference. The conference is tentatively scheduled to take place December 13-15, 2013.
The proposed theme for this year’s conference is “50 Years onwards: Enhancing the role of the Diaspora in Kenya’s future Development.” The embassy invites the Kenyan Diaspora in the US to join one of the following sub-committees in the planning process of the Diaspora conference:
- Registration and Documentation
- Protocol, Transport and Accommodation
- Program
- Publicity and Communication
- Finance and Budget
Those interested in being a part of any of the above committees are kindly requested to email a response to diaspora@kenyaembassy.com by August 16, 2013. A working note and a working draft of the program are available on the Embassy’s website – www.kenyaembassy.com.
Previous Diaspora conferences were successful in bringing Kenyan Americans and representatives of the Kenya government together to discuss critical issues on Kenya’s political transition, economic opportunities and the important role of the Diaspora in the nation’s development. The previous two conferences laid a foundation for future conferences and long term engagement between the Kenya government and the Diaspora community in the United States of America. As with previous years, future conferences will help consolidate the gains and achievements from engagements of this type.
Previous Diaspora conferences were successful in bringing Kenyan Americans and representatives of the Kenya government together to discuss critical issues on Kenya’s political transition, economic opportunities and the important role of the Diaspora in the nation’s development. The previous two conferences laid a foundation for future conferences and long term engagement between the Kenya government and the Diaspora community in the United States of America. As with previous years, future conferences will help consolidate the gains and achievements from engagements of this type.
DIASPORA CONFERENCE: DECEMBER 12-15 2013
The Kenya Mission in Washington DC will be hosting its Third Diaspora Conference in
December 2013. Previous Diaspora conferences were successful in bringing Kenyan
Americans and representatives of the Kenya government together to discuss critical issues
on Kenya's political transition, economic opportunities and the important role of the
Diaspora in the nation’s development. The previous two conferences laid a foundation for
future conferences and long term engagement between the Kenya government and the
Diaspora community in the United States of America. As with previous years, future
conferences will help consolidate the gains and achievements from engagements of this
type.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT WITH KENYA GOVERNMENT LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK
The importance of effective Diaspora relations and opportunities for engagement is
recognized in the legal and public policy framework of the Kenya Government.
Under the Presidential Circular No. 1 of 2008 on Organization of Government, the Diaspora
Office is pronounced as a major portfolio under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In
recognition of its importance, Diaspora Diplomacy is incorporated as one of the key strategic
areas in the Ministerial Strategic Plan with a fully-fledged Directorate established to have
Diaspora Affairs. This significance to national development is further underscored in the
Kenyan Foreign Policy document which also incorporates Diaspora Diplomacy as one of the
five key pillars of Kenyan foreign policy.
There have been other efforts in policy to ensure that Kenyan Diaspora Communities are
mainstreamed into the development agenda Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In January 2012, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a Draft Diaspora Policy which emphasizes the need for
creating an enabling environment to address identified challenges in deepening the
engagement with Diaspora communities.1
Among these are improving service delivery
within missions, creating incentives, information and opportunities for investment, and
creating pathways for the talent and human resources capabilities of Kenyans in Diaspora to
contribute to development.2
One of the major benefits of Kenya's new constitution is dual citizenship and eligibility to
vote. The constitutional guarantee now paves the way for Kenyan Diaspora to contribute to
the economy and freely participate in national development and at the same time safeguard their foreign citizenship.
1
Government of Kenya, Draft Diaspora Policy, p. 5
In various speeches, His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta has noted the need for
enhancing dialog and service with and for Kenyans in Diaspora. He stated in one such
speech that "the government is for all Kenyans whether they live here at home or abroad.
We recognize the Diaspora’s contribution to the economic life of our country but more than
this they are members of the Kenyan family. We will therefore institute measures to
facilitate their fuller participation in public life."3
The President has further stated that the Government will take measures so that the
Diaspora community will vote in the 2017 general elections. In addition, he has informed the
Diaspora communities, recently in London and South Africa,4
of efforts to finalize the
Diaspora policy and in this way facilitate effective flows of information and investments. It is
anticipated that the measures proposed will harness massive contribution of Kenyans
abroad toward the development of the country. The President has encouraged the Diaspora
to take advantage of investment opportunities unfolding in the Counties which are the new
centers of development. He has called on the Diaspora to get involved in the development
of the Country Governments and contribute to the formulation of the county development
plans. Furthermore, the Head of state has urged Kenyans in the Diaspora to form strong
associations which will not only assist the Government in engaging them but also help them
lobby for their interests.
Kenya’s obligations to Diaspora communities are not only enshrined in the Constitution of
Kenya and national development policies but also included in regional agreements. Kenya
ratified the amendment to the African Union (AU) Constitutive Act Article 3(q) that “invites
and encourages the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of our
continent in the building of the African Union."5
It is against this background of policy framework support that the Diaspora Conference is
proposed. Being aligned to strategic objectives at the national, county, government
institution and mission level, it is a worthwhile endeavor.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE DIASPORA
The Kenya Government joins several developing countries that include the Philippines, India,
Sri lanka, China, Israel, Ghana, Nigeria, Morocco and Ethiopia that have successfully engaged
their Diaspora in a strategic manner. Contributions of the Kenya Diaspora have long been
noted as quite significant to the Kenyan economy and to development in general. Over
time the Diaspora community contributes to Kenya's political, economic, social and cultural developments.
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