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Kenya to set up new embassies in Vatican City, Denmark and Vietnam
Vatican City, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
Kenya is set to establish three new embassies following Cabinet approval on Tuesday evening.
The embassies in Vatican City, Denmark and Vietnam mark a major step in strengthening the country’s diplomatic engagement and advancing what it described as global, moral, and development diplomacy.
In its meeting at State House, Nairobi, the Cabinet said the new embassy in Holy See will deepen Kenya’s bilateral relations with the Vatican, enhance cooperation on peace-building, climate action, and humanitarian work, and expand engagement with the Vatican’s vast network of faith-based institutions worldwide.
“The establishment of the embassy will strengthen our engagement with Catholic development agencies that run more than 7,700 schools and 500 health facilities across Kenya,” read part of the Cabinet brief.
The Vatican City, home to the Holy See and the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, plays a central role in international dialogue and development through its diplomatic, humanitarian, and interfaith influence.
The Cabinet noted that a resident mission in Vatican City will provide a vital platform for Kenya to leverage the Church’s extensive social and development infrastructure, particularly in education, health, and poverty alleviation.
The decision also reflects Kenya’s recognition of the Vatican’s global leadership in promoting peace, social justice, and human rights, areas where the Catholic Church has been an important partner in Kenya’s national development journey.
The embassies in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Hanoi, Vietnam are also part of a broader strategy to expand Kenya’s diplomatic footprint and deepen trade, cultural, and development ties with key global partners.
Denmark is one of Kenya's long-standing development allies, and the new office opens up opportunities for increased cooperation in renewable energy, climate resilience, and technology transfer.
In Hanoi, the new embassy is expected to boost trade and investment links between Kenya and Vietnam, a rapidly growing Asian economy with significant experience in manufacturing, agriculture, and export diversification.
The Cabinet said the three new diplomatic missions form part of Kenya’s continuing foreign policy realignment to ensure a stronger presence in regions critical to the country’s economic and strategic interests.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved a number of major domestic policy and development measures aimed at improving governance, infrastructure, and service delivery.
Among the key decisions was the endorsement of a Comprehensive Framework for Infrastructure Projects Pricing, designed to curb inflated costs, ensure transparency, and guarantee better value for money in public investments.
The framework seeks to replace irregular and precedent-based pricing with a data-driven model known as the First Principles Approach, which has been successfully implemented in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore. The new system could reduce project cost overruns by up to 25 per cent.
The reform, to be coordinated by the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, will be implemented through a Multi-Agency Technical Working Team that has already developed sectoral pricing models, cost derivation criteria, and proposals for a National Infrastructure Pricing Database.
Cabinet further approved the waiver of interest and penalties on outstanding land settlement loans to ease the financial burden on low-income settlers. The waiver, covering 520 settlement schemes in 26 counties and amounting to Sh12.3 billion, will allow beneficiaries to obtain title deeds, access credit, and regularise their land accounts.
“The decision will empower thousands of settlers to unlock the economic value of their land, increase agricultural productivity, and address historical land injustices,” Cabinet stated.
To improve mobility in the Nairobi Metropolitan area, the Cabinet also gave the green light for the dualling of the Muthaiga–Kiambu–Ndumberi road, a 23.5-kilometre stretch that currently experiences heavy traffic congestion. The project will expand the existing highway into a dual carriageway with bypasses, loops, and non-motorised transport lanes, and is expected to significantly cut travel times between Nairobi and Kiambu Town.
The Cabinet also approved the implementation of the Nairobi National Park–Athi–Kapiti Wildlife Corridor, a flagship conservation project aimed at securing migratory routes and dispersal areas vital for wildlife survival.
The initiative will reconnect Nairobi National Park to surrounding conservancies in Machakos and Kajiado counties, restoring migratory pathways for species such as zebra and wildebeest. Implementation will include land acquisition, wildlife-friendly fencing, and the construction of overpasses and underpasses to ensure safe crossings.
To enhance devolution and service delivery, Cabinet also endorsed the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes splitting the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill into two separate laws to speed up disbursement of funds to counties.
The reform is expected to end delays in county funding that have previously stalled local development projects.
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