Kenya to Establish Consulates in China and Haiti in 2025

Kenya will open a consulate in Haiti next year, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has announced.

While speaking during a press briefing on Friday, December 20, Mudavadi revealed that Kenya will open another consulate in Guangzhou, China, as well.

Kenya will soon add a consulate to its embassy in Beijing, though the reasoning behind this decision has not been disclosed. This move comes amid the fact that approximately 4,000 Kenyan students are currently enrolled in universities across China.

Additionally, Kenya plans to open a consulate in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, next year. This announcement follows the normalization of diplomatic ties between Kenya and Haiti, which occurred 15 months ago.

In September 2023, Kenya and Haiti established diplomatic relations, with a commitment to posting ambassadors in both states.

In a joint statement signed by ousted Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry and then Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, the two countries announced their eagerness to strengthen the ties of friendship for mutual benefit and in pursuit of common interests.

The establishment of diplomatic relations came ahead of Kenya sending police officers to Haiti to help maintain peace in the troubled Caribbean nation. “Guided by the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations, International Law, and Treaties, we have decided to establish diplomatic relations from the date of signing this joint communiqué,” the statement read in part.

Since then, Kenya has deployed 400 officers to Haiti and assisted in the liberation of Haiti’s main international airport in Port-au-Prince in May, nearly three months after it was forced to shut.

The mission has faced several challenges, with reports this week indicating that the United States, the United Nations, and other international partners are yet to release funds to Kenya for the deployment of 600 police officers to Haiti. This has furthered concerns about financial constraints, which recently triggered claims of some personnel resigning.

In early November, the news agency Reuters reported that 20 MSS officers from Kenya had submitted resignation letters to their superiors following delayed salary payments. Reuters cited three police officers who claimed to have handed in resignation letters.

The MSS, in a press statement, denied that any officer had resigned and confirmed that all personnel had received their salaries and allowances in full.

A consulate serves as an official representative of the government, focusing on services such as passport issuance, emergency travel documents, and the registration of citizens.

The consulate provides support to Kenyans in distress, including those who are victims of crime or assault, by offering guidance and assistance, as well as emergency evacuations, as seen in the case of Lebanon.

Also part of the consulate’s responsibilities is the promotion of trade and investment, thus facilitating and providing information on trade and investment opportunities between Kenya and the host country.