Kenya opens Jeddah consulate, deepening Saudi ties
The move, formally announced by Nairobi's Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, is part of President William Ruto's directive to expand Kenya's foreign presence in key global hubs.
Kenya has inaugurated a consulate in Jeddah, strengthening its diplomatic footprint in the Gulf and signalling growing strategic engagement with Saudi Arabia.
The move, formally announced by Nairobi's Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, is part of President William Ruto's directive to expand Kenya's foreign presence in key global hubs.
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The consulate, first opened in March 2024, aims to support Kenya's expanding diaspora and improve consular services in western Saudi Arabia, home to thousands of Kenyan workers and a key transit point for Muslim pilgrims travelling to Mecca and Medina.
Jeddah, the Kingdom's commercial capital and gateway to Islam's holiest sites, has increasingly become a focal point for East African engagement.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing'Oei, described the mission as a "strategic step" to deepen trade, labour cooperation, education and tourism links.
The consulate will complement Kenya's embassy in Riyadh and support initiatives aligned with both Saudi Vision 2030 and Kenya Vision 2030, including efforts to attract investment and enhance the welfare of migrant workers.
Representatives from several African and Asian missions attended the ceremony, reflecting the Kingdom's role as a rising diplomatic centre in the region.
The Kenyan delegation also held meetings with diaspora leaders and diplomatic counterparts, underscoring Nairobi's push to leverage its expatriate community as economic ambassadors.
Saudi Arabia hosts one of the largest Kenyan populations in the Middle East, and the new consulate is expected to streamline services such as labour documentation, passports, and emergency assistance, issues that have previously drawn public scrutiny due to cases of mistreatment of migrant workers.
The expansion marks another step in Kenya's pivot toward Gulf partnerships, as Nairobi seeks investment, export markets, and greater labour mobility.
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