In an interview with SOCIETY Magazine, the Ambassador of Kenya, H.E. Maurice Odhiambo Makoloo, gives insights into the bilateral ties between Kenya and Austria, talks about tourism as a key driver for Kenya’s economy and the consistent cooperation between his country and the EU.
As diplomatic representative of Kenya in Austria, what are the primary goals for your term here?
On 12th December 2024, Kenya celebrates 60 years of diplomatic jouney. My main priority is to articulately promote Kenya’s interests in Austria and other accredited countries, as well as within the UN Office in Vienna. Given the special shared experiences of Vienna and Nairobi as hosts of two of the four offices of the United Nations in the world, I am committed to ensuring that rules-based multilateralism is reinvigorated and strengthened. If there was ever a time when the world must come together to co-create solutions to complex world problems, that time is now.
At the bilateral levels, my goal is to strengthen, deepen and expand the historically strong and cordial relations between our countries, and the people of our respective countries. Although Kenya and Austria enjoy a healthy trade balance averaging USD 65 million, there is much room for growth.
Austrian companies are global leaders in the sectors of hospitality, machinery, healthcare, agribusiness, education, vocational training, and information technology, among others. I am following up on the engagements already started to ensure Austrian companies are fully facilitated to make use of Kenya’s business-friendly environment and the ongoing enabling regulatory reforms. In this regard, I am keen to oversee the conclusion of the ‘Memorandum on Economic Cooperation’ given the importance of the priority areas identified for enhanced cooperation – which include: ICT; Green Technology; Infrastructure Development, especially healthcare infrastructure; Agricultural and Food Processing Industry.
On a different note, Kenya and Austria have the opportunity to strengthen the connection between our peoples through cultural exchanges. Every year, many Kenyan athletes participate in the annual Vienna City Marathon. I personally had the pleasure of being the first Kenyan Ambassador to run in this famous marathon in April this year. I have already registered to run again next year. You may also recall that five years ago, in October 2019, a renowned Kenyan athlete, Eliud Kipchoge, became the first human to run a full marathon in an unofficial time of under two hours, famously called the INEOS 1:59 challenge. To honour the athlete and mark a special chapter of Kenya-Austria cultural relations, we shall be engaging the Mayor of the City of Vienna to honour this special relationship through a symbolic and permanent act, such as naming a street after him in Vienna. We hope to be able to count on your support.
Last but not least, Kenya boasts of a youthful, creative and professionally skilled workforce. We are keen to make these skillsets, especially in the healthcare, hospitality and information technology sectors available to Austria as may be needed under a legally managed mechanism and process.
Kenya stands out as an iconic tourism destination in Africa – how important is tourism for your country’s economy?
In Kenya, tourism is a major economic sector. The sector accounts for 10.4% of the country’s GDP, 5.5% of Kenya’s formal employment and contributes to 4.2% of National Gross Fixed Capital Formation (new investments) (Kenya Tourism Satellite Account, 2019). The sector is also instrumental in the social-economic wellbeing of the country’s citizens, with multiplier effects in trade, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and transport among others.
In 2023, The Travel and Tourism sector contributed Sh1 trillion to Kenya’s economy as shown by the latest report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). This performance has been termed as a record-breaking year for Travel & Tourism in Kenya by the 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR).
Despite these bright lights, we are still exploring many ways to enlarge this performance. This is one area where we hope to benefit from cooperation with Austria, itself being a very important tourist destination. Our records show that the numbers of Austrian citizens visiting Kenya are still low. In 2023, Austrians undertook a total of 285,100 holiday trips to Africa. This accounted for approximately 2% of all outbound trips by Austrians that year. This is something I hope to improve on.
How is Kenya dealing with the current main topics in the tourism sector, like digitalization, overtourism and sustainability?
Kenya continues to adjust, innovate and improve to keep with the times including on digitization. For example, in January 2024, Kenya launched the online visa application system to streamline and simplify the visa application process for visitors.
Furthermore, Kenya is proactively tackling overtourism by implementing measures to preserve its natural and cultural assets. The government, in collaboration with stakeholders, has developed the „New Tourism Strategy for Kenya 2021-2025,“ which emphasizes sustainable tourism practices and the equitable distribution of tourism benefits across regions.
Environmental conservation remains central to Kenya’s tourism strategy. The country is committed to protecting its rich biodiversity through various conservation programs and community-based initiatives. For instance, regenerative tourism practices are being adopted, combining adventure with conservation to support local communities and protect endangered species.
In response to the evolving dynamics of work and travel, Kenya is exploring the concept of „workation“ programs, which allow individuals to work remotely while enjoying the country’s diverse attractions.
Kenya represents a major partner for the European Union in Africa – can you tell us a bit about the main areas of cooperation between the EU and your country? Where do you see potential for improvement?
Kenya and the EU have sustained a consistent and long-term partnership over many years, and share multilateral and global objectives such as combating climate change, and fostering peace and security.
In June 2021, the former President of Kenya H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta and H.E. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, launched the Strategic Dialogue between Kenya and the EU designed to elevate the existing relations to higher levels.
Building on the past achievements and joint priorities, Kenya and the EU seek to strengthen cooperation through the Strategic Dialogue, on numerous issues of domestic, regional and global interest.
One of the thematic pillars of the Strategic Dialogue concerns economy, trade and investment. The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) concluded in June 2023 was a key priority under this cluster and was the first major tangible outcome. Kenya is an economic hub in the region, a market with growing potential for investment for European companies, and a strong partner in the pursuit of universal values and multilateralism. The EU is a significant trading partner to Kenya, representing Kenya’s biggest export market with 21.1%, of Kenya’s total exports to the world.
The Agreement entered into force on 1st July 2024, representing a key milestone in the EU-Kenya Strategic Partnership. It is worth noting that this is the most ambitious economic partnership agreement the EU has signed with a developing country when it comes to sustainability provisions.
Another notable milestone is the Green Deal Kenya. Kenya is positioned to leap past the heavily polluting industrial stage of growth, shifting to a more sustainable society. In 2008, the country created the Vision 2030 development programme, aiming to use 100% renewable energy by 2030. Renewable sources already supply more than 90% of Kenya’s electricity. Through the Strategic Dialogue, Kenya and EU are working together towards the common goal of a global green transition for a sustainable economy.