The Kenya Foreign Service Academy has unveiled an ambitious Strategic Resource Mobilisation Strategy 2026-29. aiming to raise $30 million (about Sh3.9 billion) to transform the institution into a continental centre of excellence for diplomatic training, foreign policy research and strategic knowledge production.
The fundraising drive comes as Kenya assumes an increasingly prominent role in regional peace and security, multilateral diplomacy and African integration, placing greater demands on the country's diplomatic machinery.
Launching the strategy, Prime and Foreign Affairs CS Affairs Musalia Mudavadi challenged diplomats and development partners to rethink what success in foreign policy looks like.
“Africa has always wanted to be included at the roundtable,” he said.
“The question is whether we are going to have a meaningful presence at these tables, or simply presence.”
The CS said diplomatic influence is no longer measured by attendance at international summits alone but by the ability to negotiate, persuade and shape global outcomes.
This, he said, means investing in people as much as policy.
The academy's blueprint identifies diplomatic training, specialised research, digital transformation, faculty development and modern learning infrastructure as the pillars of a stronger Foreign Service capable of responding to today's complex geopolitical landscape.
It is now turning to development partners, diplomatic missions, international organisations, universities and the private sector to finance its next phase of growth.
The institution wants existing deals with partners to evolve beyond ceremonial cooperation into practical investments in training programmes, research collaborations and digital innovation.
The strategy signals an acknowledgment that relying primarily on government funding is not sustainable to its objectives and ambitions.
Diplomatic Affairs director general Amb Josphat Maikara warned that the complexity of contemporary international relations demands a more specialised and adaptable diplomatic workforce.
Maikara argued that failure to invest in technical expertise could weaken Kenya's ability to articulate, negotiate and defend its interests in increasingly competitive international forums.
The academy’s plan includes modernising training facilities, expanding digital learning platforms, strengthening foreign policy research and positioning Nairobi as a regional hub for diplomatic education.
Beyond serving Kenya's Foreign Affairs ministry, the institution also trains officers from ministries, departments and agencies across government, reflecting the growing recognition that diplomacy now extends into sectors such as trade, health, climate and digital governance.
The academy is also seeking to deepen its regional footprint.
Over the past two decades, it has trained more than 5,000 officers from Kenya and neighbouring countries, including diplomats from South Sudan and Somalia.
Foreign Service Academy Governing Council chairman Prof Patrick Maluki said the academy would prioritise prudent and transparent management of every resource mobilised under the strategy.
He said stronger financial systems, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, accountability mechanisms and human resource management would ensure that investments produce measurable results for both partners and beneficiaries.
The launch also marked a significant institutional milestone as the academy celebrated 20 years since its establishment in 2006 as the Foreign Service Institute.
It transitioned into the Foreign Service Academy in 2017 before the Foreign Service Act of 2021 granted it semi-autonomous status under the Foreign Affairs ministry.
The establishment of a Governing Council in 2024 completed its transition into a more independent institution with strategic oversight.
