Ministry of Foreign Affairs - VISIT TO THE MINISTRY BY THE COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE OF THE SULTANATE OF OMAN.

A group photo after the forum. Fifth and seventh from left on the front row are Head of Middle East Division, Mr. Ken Vitisia and the DPA, Amb. Ogutu respectively. In between them is Capt. Nasser, head of the visiting group.

Kenya will soon open a resident mission in Muscat, Oman. This was disclosed during a forum held when a group of forty participants from the Command and Staff College of the Sultanate of Oman visited the Ministry on 29^th March. The interactive forum was chaired by Ambassador Ben Ogutu the Director for Political Affairs, accompanied by Ambassador Philip Mwanzia, the Director of FSI and Mr. Ken Vitisia, Head of Middle East Division. Ambassador Mwanzia welcomed the group to the Ministry.

The participants from the Command and Staff College, who were led by GP Captain Nasser Hamdoon Saif-Harthi, included three foreign students from Kuwait, Pakistan and France. In total the group comprised of 9 Command and Staff College staff and 31 students. The team was accompanied to the FSI offices by Col. Shabell form the Department of Defense here in Kenya.

Captain Nasser said the military officers were taking a one year course to gain strategic grounding for further curriculum in military and security issues. He said part of their curriculum was to select a country, spend one week in it, while learning its military activities and also interact with the people of the country. Kenya was the country of their choice.

Ambassador Ogutu applauded the team’s choice of Kenya as the country to learn from. He said Kenya maintains a peaceful coexistence with its neighbours and also gains maximum benefits from its strategic relationships with other countries. Ambassador Mwanzia on the other hand took the group through the mandate and functions of the FSI as an important arm of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Regarding the Kenya Oman relations, Mr. Vitisia said the two countries share historical links since time in memorial. He also added that Oman was among the first countries to open a mission in Kenya though it was closed not long after its opening. The two countries have also exchanged official visits with the latest being a visit to the Sultanate of Oman on 5th to 9^th March by Hon. Elmi Mohammed , Minister for Northern Kenya and Arid lands. Mr. Vitisia announced that it is from these cordial relations that the country has started plans to open a mission in Muscat, Oman.

The rest of the forum was characterized by a question and answer forum. The three head representatives from the Ministry answered questions from the visitors and left no doubt or uncertainty on their views concerning the country. The DPA further welcomed them to revisit the country at their own pleasure to enjoy the warmth of their host. The function was concluded by a group photo.

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