Science And Technology Diplomacy Central To Kenya’s Foreign Policy

Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, placed technology diplomacy at the centre of Kenya’s diplomatic engagement and regional integration during the Africa Technology Leadership Conference (ATLC) 2026, which took place at Eka Hotel in Nairobi.

“Africa must move from adopting technology to building technological power. We cannot build technological sovereignty on imported knowledge alone. Every economy that has led in advanced technology has invested consistently in researchers, universities, laboratories and institutions that move knowledge from discovery into action,” said Mudavadi. “Through coordinated public-private partnerships and shared regulatory frameworks, we ensure that digital transformation fosters inclusive resilience and prosperity across every African state.”

More than 500 government leaders, diplomats, investors, researchers and technology executives from over 30 countries attended the two-day conference, which ran from 22 to 23 October. It addressed a challenge facing the continent: promising research and technology ambitions often stalled before reaching markets, attracting investment or influencing global standards.

Technology as foreign policy

Delegates examined how African countries could coordinate their positions on AI, data governance and digital standards, which increasingly shaped trade, investment and diplomatic leverage.

From lab to market

A central priority was narrowing the gap between research and commercial application in agriculture, health, energy, manufacturing and digital services. This involved connecting universities and research institutions with technology-transfer systems, intellectual-property frameworks, patient capital and routes to market.

“The conversations convened here at Eka Hotel moved beyond aspiration towards rigorous execution and measurable socio-economic impact, cementing Kenya’s status as a leader in technology diplomacy,” said Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation.

The conference sought to turn dialogue among public institutions, investors and industry into practical cooperation, with Nairobi serving as the convening point.

Three new initiatives announced

Under the banner of the Africa Technology Leadership Forum (ATFL), three initiatives were announced at the conference:

• Continental Innovation Center: a hub for market access, research commercialisation and deep-tech venture building. INVIGENCE is inviting corporate partners, venture funds, financial institutions, development agencies and research organisations to join as strategic partners. Applications for the first cohort are open to AI researchers, data scientists, software developers and start-ups across Africa
• Kenya Languages & Context-Aware AI Challenge: The Sauti Umoja AI Challenge is an initiative to incentivise and fund the development of large language models built for African indigenous languages, local dialects and socio-economic realities. This is in partnership with GSMA’s ATLA Umoja AI .
• The ATLF Leadership & Diplomacy Programme and ATLC 2027 Conference: a roadmap for year-round policy labs and stakeholder dialogues through 2026–2027 and a continental convention in Kenya in 2027. The Africa Technology Leadership Forum is inviting stakeholders to join a planning coalition to co-host it.

“Our commitment is to build the institutional and strategic bridges that turn raw African ingenuity into scalable, market-ready, and globally competitive ventures,” said Dr Kenneth Rotich, Chief Executive Officer of INVIGENCE Ltd. “As artificial intelligence reshapes global economies, Africa must not be left behind or forced into generic models that overlook our rich linguistic and cultural diversity.”

The programme spans technology diplomacy and leadership; capital and infrastructure; research commercialisation; institutional capability and execution; and trust, data and technology resilience.