Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang paid a courtesy call on Dr. Alfred N. Mutua, the new Cabinet Secretary (CS) of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (MFDA) of Kenya, on 14 February 2023 at the MFDA office in Nairobi.

CS Mutua commended the Philippine Government for having the “best diaspora plan in the world” and reiterated Kenya’s desire to learn from the Philippines on how to better take care of migrant workers.

He added that under the administration of President William Ruto, Kenya hopes to strengthen relations with the Philippines in the areas of trade, tourism, and culture, among others. He cited the forthcoming inaugural meeting of the Philippines-Kenya Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) to be held in Nairobi as an opportunity to deepen the relations.

Amb. Tang, meanwhile, highlighted the many similarities between the Philippines and Kenya, including adherence to democratic values, and expressed the hope for increased cooperation between the two countries in the coming years. 

CS Mutua also shared that he is familiar with Philippine icons such as the Banaue Rice Terraces and the Philippine jeepney, the latter which he compared to the Kenyan matatus or colorful mini-buses that ply the roads of Nairobi.

The Philippines and Kenya established diplomatic relations in 1967.