Ruto rolls out red carpet as new envoys promise closer ties with Kenya
By Ascah Mwango, September 3, 2025President William Ruto has received letters of credence from newly appointed ambassadors and a high commissioner to the Republic of Kenya.
In a momentous occasion held on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, President Ruto welcomed the envoys and noted that their arrival marked a new chapter in Kenya’s diplomatic relations.
“We value the strong friendships that we share with your countries. Together, we can drive meaningful progress and ensure prosperity for our people,” he said.
In his speech, President Ruto assured the envoys of his government’s readiness to work closely with them in deepening partnerships.
“Kenya remains committed to building strong, respectful and beneficial relations with your countries. We will continue to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, security, and global issues that matter to our people,” he said.
The envoys pledged to build on the strong ties between Kenya and their respective countries for the mutual benefit of their people.
Fresh faces of envoys
Among those who presented their credentials were Ambassadors Tyas Baskoro Her Witjaksono Adji of Indonesia, Jaime Alejandro of Spain, Riina-Riikka Heikka of Finland, Maroš Mitrík of Slovakia, Dzmitry Krasouski of Belarus, Leon Francois Yandouma of Congo, Håkan Åkesson of Sweden, Gideon Behar of Israel, and Joshua Brebner Tabah, the High Commissioner of Canada.
Ambassador Adji of Indonesia, who has 32 years of distinguished service in international affairs, previously served in East Timor, Japan, the Indonesian Mission to the United Nations in New York, and the Netherlands. He is concurrently accredited to Uganda, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also serves as Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat in Nairobi.
He said he is committed to deepening relations between Kenya and Indonesia in areas of shared interest.
“By working together in the blue economy, mining, transportation and defence, among others, we can unlock new opportunities and contribute to a just and harmonious world,” Ambassador Adji stated.
Ambassador Alejandro of Spain, a career diplomat since 2006, has served in Chile, Israel, South Africa and Mozambique. He said he is keen on strengthening the existing ties between Kenya and Spain.
Ambassador Heikka of Finland, who previously served as Finland’s envoy to Nepal and in diplomatic postings in Washington, DC, Vienna and Brussels, described relations between Kenya and Finland as excellent, active, comprehensive and ambitious.
“During my tenure, I will do the utmost to uphold and deepen our relations in a meaningful way,” she said.
Ambassador Mitrik of Slovakia, who has served in Uzbekistan and Belarus and recently as director of the Department of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, said he intends to focus on building pragmatic and mutually beneficial partnerships across all areas of cooperation.
High Commissioner Tabah of Canada has previously served as head of cooperation at the Embassy to Colombia, Counsellor for Humanitarian Affairs at the Permanent Mission in Geneva, and as ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti. He said Canada is committed to strengthening collaboration with Kenya.
“The well-being of our people is linked to the strength of our economies, and this is the top priority of your government and my own,” he told President Ruto.
He added that he is eager to encourage private sector collaboration to unlock its full potential.
Ambassador Krasouski of Belarus, an experienced economist who has served as Director of the National Agency for Investment and Privatisation since 2020, pledged to strengthen relations with Kenya in trade, investment, education and cultural exchange.
Ambassador Yandouma of Congo, a career soldier and defence attaché who has served since 1982, said he looks forward to enhancing defence and diplomatic ties between Kenya and Congo.
Ambassador Åkesson of Sweden, who previously served as Sweden’s envoy to France and Director-General for Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the two nations as close friends.
“Kenya and Sweden have marked over 60 years of strong relations. We continue to work hand in hand at multilateral forums to promote peace and prosperity in line with the United Nations Charter,” he said.
Ambassador Behar of Israel, who has worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1994 and was most recently Israel’s Special Envoy for Climate Change and Sustainability, said he is eager to strengthen the already strong relations between Israel and Kenya.
“These are areas of growing urgency that call for bold joint action,” he said while pledging to work with Kenya on global challenges such as environmental protection and climate change adaptation.