Kenya’s First Embassy in Morocco Marks Shift on Western Sahara
Kenya has opened its first embassy in Morocco, signaling a diplomatic makeover and a new level of cooperation between the two nations. The launch, held Monday in Rabat, came as the countries celebrated 60 years of diplomatic ties—with Kenya using the occasion to formally back Morocco’s position on Western Sahara.
Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who attended the ceremony alongside Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, described Morocco as “a rising economic power on the continent.” The two-day visit saw both sides sign five memoranda of understanding focused on everything from youth affairs and housing to trade promotion and civil service training.
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But the biggest headline was Kenya’s official endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, which it now calls “the only sustainable approach” to resolving the Western Sahara dispute. The move caps a diplomatic turnaround under President William Ruto, whose administration has rolled back Kenya’s past support for the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Just two years ago, Kenya was hosting SADR President Brahim Ghali and giving the separatist group diplomatic space in Nairobi.
The policy shift gained momentum with the March 2024 appointment of Jessica Muthoni Gakinya as Kenya’s first ambassador to Morocco.
Morocco controls most of Western Sahara, while the SADR—backed by Algeria—holds a smaller portion. The decades-old dispute has long split African countries diplomatically.
Bourita called Kenya “a pivotal player and a cornerstone of peace and stability in Africa,” while a joint statement described the visit as a reaffirmation of “mutual cooperation.” From Rabat’s perspective, it was more than just a ribbon-cutting—it was a strategic win.
