First-ever envoy nominee to Abidjan vetted as Kenya courts West Africa
By Amina Wako |
Kenya currently has no diplomatic footprint in Abidjan but Nairobi has revived efforts to court the West Africa bloc, the largest at the African Union.
Former Bomet Senator Christopher Langat was the last envoy nominee to appear before the Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee on Friday, April 5, 2024.
The trained teacher is poised to become the first-ever Kenyan ambassador nominee to Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
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If approved by the committee, he will lead efforts to establish the country's inaugural mission in Ivory Coast, marking Kenya's second diplomatic presence in Francophone West Africa.
During the vetting, Langat who has no prior diplomatic experience was grilled on whether he would be able to establish a new mission without knowledge of the local language.
"Will you sustain the pressure of establishing an embassy in Abidjan in a country that is deeply French-speaking?" Posed Imenti Central MP Moses Kirima.
"Language is no longer a barrier. I will look for the right personnel who know the language," said Langat, a former Moi University lecturer.
Kenya currently has no diplomatic footprint in Abidjan but Nairobi has revived efforts to court the West Africa bloc, the largest at the African Union.
The East African country has faced consistent challenges in broadening its influence in West Africa despite committing to establishing seven new missions.
The nearest embassy is in Accra, Ghana bordering the Ivory Coast to the east.
Trade ties
MP Joshua Kandie raised concerns with the nominee regarding the unfavourable trade balance between Nairobi and Abidjan, which currently stands low and negative towards Kenya.
"My first work will be to conduct a survey and establish the trade differences between the two countries and I will identify the areas of commonalities too," said Prof. Langat who served as Bomet senator between August 2017 to August 2022.
He added, "I will ensure the Kenyan Chamber of Commerce engages in a trade conference with their equals in Abidjan to improve relations."
"We import a lot of cocoa and cashew nuts and take our tea to their country. We are way ahead on capacity building and tourism. I will persuade them to take advantage of our established colleges and institutions," he noted.
The former senator declared his net worth at Sh20 million.
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