UAE Diplomatic Academy Delegation Visits Kenya’s Foreign Service Academy to Study Humanitarian Leadership
The Foreign Service Academy of Kenya on Wednesday hosted a delegation from the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) of the United Arab Emirates, who travelled to Nairobi to learn from Kenya’s leadership in humanitarian action, peace support operations and international cooperation.
The delegation, led by Prof. Eric Canal Forgues, Dean of Graduate Programmes at AGDA, comprised faculty members, programme participants and senior officials seeking to deepen collaboration in humanitarian diplomacy and capacity-building.
Welcoming the delegation, Deputy Director General Amb. Mokaya reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in diplomatic training and humanitarian engagement. He noted that Nairobi has become a major hub for regional humanitarian coordination, hosting more than 3,700 humanitarian and charitable organisations as of January 2024. He also highlighted Kenya’s ranking as the second most generous country globally in the 2020 World Giving Index, and its humanitarian support to countries such as Malawi, Mozambique, Japan and Iran.
Deputy Director for Multilateral Affairs, Mr Michael. Miriti, delivered an in-depth briefing on Kenya’s humanitarian and development frameworks, outlining the country’s global reputation as a responsible actor in crisis response, refugee protection and regional peace initiatives. He also outlined ongoing work toward the operationalisation of the Kenya Humanitarian Centre.
Deputy Director for Peace and Security, Mr. Gideon Kinuthia, led the technical session, taking the UAE delegation through Kenya’s practical experience in humanitarian action — from peacekeeping missions to refugee inclusion programmes and cross-border emergency response. He briefed the delegation on Kenya’s participation in 43 peacekeeping and peace support missions, including its current leadership of the multinational security mission in Haiti. He also highlighted Kenya’s facilitation of over 15 regional peace processes and its pioneering approach to refugee inclusion under the Shirika Plan, noting that Kenya now hosts over 854,800 refugees, making it the fifth-largest refugee-hosting nation in Africa.
Amb. Lindsey Kiptenees, Deputy Director General and head Middle East Directorate, also addressed the delegation, highlighting the growing Kenya–UAE relations and acknowledging the deepening humanitarian partnership between the two countries. He cited the UAE’s 2024 support to Kenya — including 200 tonnes of emergency relief aid worth KSh 2 billion for flood-affected communities — as well as continued assistance through UAE charitable organisations such as the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation.
In his remarks, Prof. Eric Canal Forgues commended Kenya’s leadership in humanitarian diplomacy and its strong commitment to regional stability. He underscored that AGDA views Kenya as a key partner in shaping future diplomats grounded in humanitarian values. “Kenya’s practical experience in peace support, refugee inclusion and international cooperation offers valuable lessons for our trainees. This visit strengthens our shared commitment to building a more resilient and compassionate global community,” he said.
The visit concluded with both institutions expressing strong interest in strengthening collaboration in diplomatic training, humanitarian policy and peacebuilding.