At its meeting on Tuesday, November 11, the Cabinet approved the establishment of three embassies - one in Vatican City, one in Copenhagen, Denmark, and one in Hanoi, Vietnam.
According to a press release issued after the meeting, the embassy in Vatican City is intended to strengthen diplomatic relations with the Holy See and promote Kenya’s global, moral and developmental diplomacy.
The Vatican City is the world's smallest country by land area as it is an independent city-state located entirely within Rome, Italy. It is the spiritual and administrative centre of the Roman Catholic Church, and a non-member observer state of the United Nations.
"Cabinet endorsed the establishment of an Embassy of the Republic of Kenya to the Vatican City to strengthen diplomatic engagement with the Holy See and advance Kenya’s global, moral, and development diplomacy," the statement read.
"The Vatican City, home to the Holy See and the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, holds significant influence in global peace, dialogue, and humanitarian affairs."
Besides that, the Cabinet noted that the move would deepen bilateral relations, enhance collaboration in peace-building, climate action, humanitarian initiatives, and strengthen engagement with the Vatican’s global network of faith-based institutions.
It highlighted the Catholic development agencies that run more than 7,700 schools and 500 health facilities in Kenya, supporting the Kenya Kwanza administration's agenda through expanded partnerships in education, healthcare, and social welfare.
The other two embassies in Denmark and Vietnam will also expand Kenya’s diplomatic footprint, strengthen bilateral and trade relations, and advance the country’s strategic interests globally.
In April, Kenya expanded its diplomatic reach when it officially bought the Kenya High Commission building in London, following years of renting.
The news was confirmed by Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi during a visit to the commission in London on April 16.
"During my visit to the Kenya High Commission in London, I shared the exciting news with the staff: after decades of leasing, the Government of Kenya has officially acquired the building," Mudavadi announced.
He further announced that plans were underway for the Kenyan government to give the building a fresh Kenyan look.
The government had been trying to acquire the building since October 2021, following the expiry of the lease. The Treasury had initially allocated Kshh1.74 billion to acquire the freehold building, comprising a total floor space of at least 9,000-12,000 square feet, but the project of acquisition project stalled as the department asked for more money.
