Kenya -- Foreign
Relations
Kenya's
foreign
policy is
best seen
in terms
of its political
and economic
moderation
and of its
continuing
reliance
on the Western
world. Its
most significant
international
affiliations
are with
the East
African
Community,
the Organization
of African
Unity and
the Commonwealth
of Nations.
Kenya,
Uganda and
Tanzania
have made
two attempts
to unite
in a regional
organization
since they
gained independence.
In each
case, the
nations
sought a
loose federation
underpinned
by an economic
common market.
In 1961,
the three
countries
formed the
East African
Common Services
Organization
(EACSO),
in which
a shared
and centralized
administration
was to provide
services,
including
transportation,
communication,
tax collection,
scientific
research,
social services
and university
education.
The EACSO
charter
was also
to create
a common
currency,
a common
appellate
court, and
a common
market in
which goods
and labor
could circulate
freely.
These were
to be directed
by a central
legislative
assembly.
By 1965,
the EACSO
began to
come apart
due to growing
tendencies
toward nationalism
and diverging
economic
and political
policies.
In 1967,
a new organization
was founded
under the
rubric of
the East
African
Community
(EAC), established
under the
Treaty for
East African
Cooperation.
This time,
Tanzania's
move toward
socialism
and Uganda's
national
misfortunes
under the
brutal regime
of Idi Amin
led to the
dissolution
of the cooperative
effort.
By 1977,
the community
was inoperative
and by 1983,
it was formally
dissolved.
Relations
among the
countries
improved
when the
community's
assets were
redistributed
and when
relations
with Tanzania
improved
in the wake
of the agreement.
But new
tensions
arose in
the late
1980's when
Uganda accused
Kenya of
supporting
opponents
of Uganda's
government
and when
Kenya responded
by alleging
that Uganda
had conducted
incursions
into Kenyan
territory.
By
the early
1990's,
however,
a push for
regional
integration
was again
making itself
felt. The
presidents
of Tanzania,
Uganda,
and Kenya
held a conference
about reestablishing
cooperation
in Arusha,
Tanzania
in November
1993. A
permanent
tri-national
commission,
once again
named the
East African
Cooperation
(EAC), was
inaugurated
in March
1996, whose
first secretary-general,
Francis
Muthaura,
was Kenyan.
This cooperative
effort was
more modest
in its ambitions,
mainly emphasizing
cooperation
in transport,
energy,
the management
of Lake
Victoria
and cross-border
trade. Uganda
and Tanzania
are presently
the two
leading
export markets,
with Kenyan
manufacturers
the principal
beneficiaries.
The nations'
three currencies
are now
convertible,
and in April
1997 the
three presidents
oversaw
the introduction
of an EAC
flag and
passport.
Accords
on tariffs
are being
discussed,
and discussions
of monetary
policy are
being conducted
by the nations'
central
bank governors.[1]
Kenya's
relations
with its
neighbors
to the north
have been
far less
harmonious.
North-eastern
Kenya has
been a source
of conflict
because
Somalia
has traditional
claims on
the territory;
a large
ethnic Somali
population
has also
led to instability.
Somalia's
irredentist
claims on
this region
were a serious
threat to
Kenya in
the 1960's.
For four
years, Somali
guerrillas
known as
shiftas
waged a
campaign
against
the Kenyan
police and
army through
incursions
and by means
of the Voice
of Somali
radio based
in Mogadishu.
This tense
predicament
was eased
when the
Somali government
changed
in 1967,
but it revived
in 1977
when Somali-Ethiopian
warfare
once again
placed the
area in
contention
after Kenya
supported
Ethiopia
in the Ogaden
war. The
predicament
was exacerbated
when Kenya's
relations
with Arab
nations
worsened
after Kenya
seized an
Egyptian
plane transporting
arms to
the Somali
forces.
Tensions
have since
died down;
reflecting
this, President
Moi made
an unprecedented
visit to
Mogadishu
in 1984
to negotiate
border claims
aand promote
trade cooperation
Kenya's
most significant
ally in
the West
is Great
Britain.
The two
nations
have maintained
uninterrupted
friendly
relations
since independence.
Britain
remains
Kenya's
principal
trading
partner,
its chief
source of
economic
and military
assistance,
and its
major provider
of private
investment
capital.
The British
government
has traditionally
practiced
"quiet
diplomacy"
with Kenya,
a policy
it considers
to bring
about the
greatest
influence
on Kenya.
Relations
with the
United States,
which were
uneasy during
Oginga Odinga's
ascendancy,
have improved
since Odinga's
fall in
1966. In
1980, Kenya
and the
US signed
an agreement
to permit
the American
military
to use Kenyan
sea and
air bases
in exchange
for economic
and military
assistance.
The US presence
in Kenya
now consists
of over
5,000 American
citizens.
An active
USAID and
Peace Corps
program
in Kenya
has further
increased
this presence,
as have
growing
American
business
interests.
Over 125
US firms
are represented
in Kenya,
bringing
in an investment
of over
$200 million.
Past relations
with the
Soviet Union
and China,
by contrast,
have been
cool and
tentative,
and have
been marred
by a number
of diplomatic
incidents.[2]
Kenya
joined the
United Nations
at Independence
in 1963,
and is presently
a member
of 15 UN
organizations
and 22 other
international
organizations.
[1]
The Economist
Intelligence
Unit, 1998,
Country
Profile.
Kenya,
The Unit:
London,
p. 10.
[2]
Kurian,
George Thomas
1992.
Encyclopedia
of the Third
World,
fourth edition,
volume
III, Facts
on File:
New York,
N.Y., p.
976.