President William Ruto on Tuesday received credentials from nine newly appointed envoys at State House, Nairobi, formally marking the beginning of their diplomatic missions in Kenya. The ambassadors pledged to deepen cooperation with Nairobi across a wide range of sectors, including trade, climate action, defence, and cultural exchange.

The envoys were Tyas Baskoro Her Witjaksono Adji (Indonesia), Jaime Alejandro (Spain), Riina-Riikka Heikka (Finland), Maroš Mitrík (Slovakia), Dzmitry Krasouski (Belarus), Leon Francois Yandouma (Congo), Håkan Åkesson (Sweden), Gideon Behar (Israel), and Joshua Brebner Tabah, the High Commissioner of Canada.

Ruto welcomed them, noting that Kenya remains committed to building strong bilateral and multilateral ties.

Indonesia, Spain and Finland lead with ambitious plans

Ambassador Adji of Indonesia will also be accredited to Uganda, Somalia, and the DRC. He outlined bold areas of cooperation:

“By working together in the blue economy, mining, transportation and defence, among others, we can unlock new opportunities and contribute to a just and harmonious world,” Adji said

Spain’s Ambassador Jaime Alejandro, who has served in Chile, Israel, South Africa and Mozambique, pledged to strengthen the long-standing relations between Nairobi and Madrid.

Finland’s Riina-Riikka Heikka, who previously served as envoy to Nepal and held postings in Washington, Vienna, and Brussels, described relations between Kenya and Finland as “excellent, active, comprehensive and ambitious. During my tenure, I will do the utmost to uphold and deepen our relations in a meaningful way,” she added

Canada, Israel and Sweden emphasise cooperation

Canadian High Commissioner Joshua Brebner Tabah, who previously served as envoy to Ethiopia and Djibouti, emphasised that the strength of any economy is inseparably linked to the well-being of its citizens.

“The well-being of our people is linked to the strength of our economies, and this is the top priority of your (President Ruto) government and my own,” he said, underscoring Canada’s interest in private sector collaboration.

Ambassador Gideon Behar of Israel, a veteran diplomat and climate envoy, emphasised Kenya’s role in tackling urgent global challenges.

“These are areas of growing urgency that call for bold joint action,” he said, highlighting climate change adaptation and sustainability as key areas of engagement.

Sweden’s Håkan Åkesson, formerly envoy to France and Director-General for Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, celebrated six decades of close ties. He noted that Kenya and Sweden “continue to work hand in hand at multilateral forums to promote peace and prosperity in line with the UN Charter.”

Belarus, Slovakia and Congo broaden engagement

Belarusian Ambassador Dzmitry Krasouski, an economist and former director of the National Agency for Investment and Privatisation, pointed to trade, investment, education, and cultural exchange as areas of focus.

Slovak envoy Maroš Mitrík, who previously directed Slovakia’s Department of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, pledged to focus on “pragmatic and mutually beneficial partnerships.”

Congo’s Leon Francois Yandouma, a veteran defence officer with decades of military and diplomatic service, has arrived in Nairobi. He reaffirmed Congo’s interest in deepening relations with Kenya.

The arrival of the nine envoys underscores Kenya’s growing diplomatic weight as a hub for international cooperation. With Nairobi hosting key UN agencies and playing a central role in regional security and trade, the new ambassadors set the stage for an expanded global footprint under Ruto’s administration.