Kenya’s inaugural ambassador to Morocco, Jessica Gakinya, on Friday presented copies of her credentials to Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat, ahead of her formal presentation to King Mohammed VI.

While this move was scheduled, its timing is notably strategic, coming just before the upcoming continental elections, where President Ruto has endorsed his long-time rival turned ally, Raila Odinga.

Kenya opened its first embassy in Morocco in 2024 after years of lukewarm relations between the two countries.

This decision was accelerated by President Ruto, who has shown a particular interest in strengthening ties with the North African nation.

Morocco is now Kenya’s third diplomatic mission in North Africa, following embassies in Cairo and Algiers, which previously covered Kenya’s interests in Algeria and the Western Sahara.

The establishment of the embassy comes amid heightened diplomatic maneuvering between Morocco and Algeria in Kenya.

This follows President Ruto’s indication of possibly severing ties with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) after his inauguration, which was attended by both Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Sahrawi President Brahim Ghali.

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This became Ruto’s first major foreign policy move as President.

Morocco has been actively courting Ruto, particularly after he promised significant agricultural reforms during Kenya’s fiercely contested 2022 presidential election.

As part of this courtship, Morocco pledged to supply Kenya with affordable fertilizer and even proposed building a factory in the country.

In 2016, OCP Africa, a state-owned Moroccan group led by Mostafa Terrab, established an office in Kenya—just a year after Kenya opened its embassy in Algeria, a country considered hostile by Morocco due to its support for the Tindouf-based Polisario Front, which runs the SADR.

As the inaugural ambassador to Morocco, Gakinya faces the challenging task of advancing President Ruto’s interests in North Africa while navigating a complex and sensitive geopolitical landscape.

Morocco remains a powerful diplomatic player within the African Union (AU) and was a key force behind Amina Mohamed’s defeat to Moussa Faki in the last AUC elections.

Gakinya’s role is crucial as Kenya seeks to recalibrate its diplomatic positioning in the region amid the broader power play between Morocco and Algeria.