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Kenyan envoy Orina presents credentials to Ethiopian President

Kenyan envoy to Addis Ababa George Orina when he presented his credentials to Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde. (X/Office of the President, Ethiopia)

By Mwangi Maina | 15 Mar 2024

He is replacing Jean Kamau, whose term came to an end last year.

Kenyan envoy to Addis Ababa and Permanent Representative to the African Union, George Orina on Friday presented his credentials to Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde.

He is replacing Jean Kamau, whose term came to an end last year.

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Orina, a career diplomat who held high-ranking positions at the Nairobi foreign affairs office, previously served as the deputy ambassador for the Kenyan mission in Addis Ababa.

His tenure begins at a time when Nairobi has been actively advocating for opposition leader Raila Odinga, who is eager to succeed Moussa Faki, a Chad national, as the next AUC chairperson.

While African Union politics are familiar territory to him, Orina will be tasked with reaching out to his 54 counterparts who sit on the Permanent Representatives Committee.

His goal will be to persuade them to rally their capital in support of Raila's candidacy for the upcoming February election.

Regional tensions

The China School of Foreign Affairs graduate arrives in Addis at a time of heightened regional tensions following a sea access agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia.

While Nairobi maintains cordial relations with both Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, it has emphasised the importance of respecting Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Kenya, which has an independence defence agreement, has urged Addis Ababa to reconsider the controversial deal and prioritise the implementation of the LAPSSET Corridor for sea access via the Lamu port.

Last year, during his vetting by Members of Parliament, Orina, who at the time was serving as the Director-General for Political and Bilateral Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, was questioned about sensitive and significant events during his tenure.

One of the prominently discussed issues was the Ilemi Triangle Conflict, a region rich in water and oil that has ignited multiple interstate border disputes involving Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

Orina was queried on why Kenya, as a regional power, had been unable to resolve the conflict, which led to clashes between the Turkana of Kenya, the Toposa of South Sudan, and the Nyang'atom of Ethiopia.

He emphasised that one of the guiding principles of Kenya's foreign policy is the sanctity of its territory, "not an inch more, not an inch less."

He assured the committee that Kenya is committed to ensuring the integrity of its territorial boundaries and continues to resolve the issue while respecting each nation's sovereignty.