Kenya bets on TechPlomacy to enhance inclusive digital literacy

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi [Mike Kihaki, Standard]

Kenya has stepped up efforts to ensure the enhancement of technology to address global challenges in the digital era.

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi said all stakeholders are bound to make the digital world more inclusive, safer, and humane.

“Kenya’s Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2025 places  technology diplomacy at the core of our international engagement. We aim to transform Nairobi into a global multilateral and financial hub,” said Mudavadi.

“Africa must come together to harness technology as a solution to our most urgent challenges, from health and education to climate action.”

He was speaking during the official launch of the TechPlomacy Connective, a diplomatic and innovation platform meant to bridge the gap between diplomacy and technology.

Mudavadi further stated that it is the government's vision to take digital sovereignty, which will enable job creation and learning in schools to thrive.

“Kenya’s track record supports that ambition. It remains the only African country in the International Network of AI-Safety Institutes and led the push for the first-ever United Nations resolution on Artificial Intelligence,” he said.

“With emerging technologies shaping everything from how we work to how we vote, the stakes are high. That’s why the TechPlomacy Connective goes beyond Nairobi or even Kenya, it’s designed to be a regional and global platform for cooperation.”

Mudavadi urged the African region to leverage the opportunity and enhance technology as a means of development.

 “In an era where AI is becoming a defining force, we must be bold and forward-looking. Through initiatives like this, we can craft partnerships that are not only innovative but inclusive and trustworthy,” he said.

Ambassador Philip Thigo, Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, reiterated that it is only through collaboration that developing countries can thrive in the current labour market.

“The digital future belongs to everyone, but only if it’s built on resilience, safety, trust, and inclusion. This initiative is about empowering nations and ensuring that emerging technologies are developed with a human-first approach,” he said.

Thigo said that is how Africa shows up in the global digital conversation that will determine their progress.

“We cannot afford to treat tech diplomacy as a technical discussion alone. It must champion human rights, digital equity, and sustainability,” he said.

“We are not here just to catch up. We are here to lead and to lead with humanity.”