Ruto receives credentials from Jordan, Mozambique and Saudi envoys

President William Ruto on Thursday received credentials from three newly appointed ambassadors to Kenya during a ceremony held at State House Nairobi.

The envoys presented their letters of credence to formally begin their diplomatic missions in the country.

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The ambassadors are Rulan Mahmoud Samara of Jordan, Jacinto Januario Maguni representing Mozambique, and Saad Abdullah from Saudi Arabia.

The presentation of credentials marks the official recognition of ambassadors by the host nation and allows them to carry out their diplomatic duties, including representing their countries’ interests and strengthening bilateral relations.

During the ceremony, President Ruto welcomed the diplomats to Kenya and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic and economic cooperation with their respective nations. President Ruto assured them of his support as they begin their tour of duty in Kenya.

Ambassador Samara committed to working towards elevating bilateral relations between Kenya and Jordan to new heights.\

"I intend to focus on expanding trade flows and strengthening cooperation in key sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, information technology, tourism and direct investment,” she said.

Kenya maintains longstanding diplomatic relations with Jordan, Mozambique and Saudi Arabia, with the partnerships covering areas such as trade, investment, labour cooperation, tourism, and regional security.

Ambassador AlNofaia has served as a minister and as ambassador in Senegal; Dean of the Arab diplomatic corps; and deputy ambassador to France, as well as non-resident ambassador to Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Cape Verde.

He said he was keen on enhancing cooperation in five key areas, namely political, economic, development, defense, and investment. He said he will do everything in his power to ensure Kenya and Saudi Arabia's bilateral cooperation continues to grow.

Jordan has maintained cordial relations with Kenya for decades, particularly in areas of education, trade and multilateral cooperation. The two countries have worked together in international forums and continue to explore opportunities for deeper economic engagement.

Mozambique, on the other hand, shares growing ties with Kenya within the African continent, especially under regional and continental frameworks such as the African Union.

Both nations have increasingly collaborated on trade, peace, and security issues as well as economic integration initiatives.

High Commissioner Maguni is a long-serving Mozambican diplomat. He committed to working with the Kenyan government to unlock the full potential of the bilateral partnership with Mozambique for the mutual benefit of citizens of both nations.

Saudi Arabia remains one of Kenya’s key partners in the Middle East. The two countries have developed strong relations in sectors such as labour export, energy, investment, and infrastructure development.

Thousands of Kenyan workers are employed in Saudi Arabia, making labour cooperation an important pillar of the bilateral relationship.

The accreditation of the new ambassador from Saudi Arabia comes at a time when Kenya continues to strengthen diplomatic engagement with countries in the Gulf region as part of its broader foreign policy aimed at expanding trade and attracting foreign investment.

The ceremony at State House forms part of standard diplomatic protocol, where newly posted ambassadors present their letters of credence from their heads of state to the president of the host country. The documents formally confirm the ambassador’s authority to represent their government.

Following the presentation of credentials, ambassadors typically begin engaging with government institutions, diplomatic missions and development partners to advance cooperation between their countries and Kenya.

Kenya hosts dozens of diplomatic missions in Nairobi, which serves as a major diplomatic hub in Africa due to the presence of international organizations and regional offices of global institutions.

With the formal reception of the three ambassadors, Kenya is expected to deepen its diplomatic engagement with Jordan, Mozambique and Saudi Arabia while exploring new opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, and regional development.

The accreditation also underscores Kenya’s continued role as a strategic diplomatic and economic partner within Africa and beyond.