That was the genesis of the MEA’s move beyond its high walls into the social media platforms and to become more accessible through the tools of the 21st century—Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and their ilk.

Contributing to a session on promoting Inter Agency Coordination and Articulation of Kenya’s Foreign Policy, which focused on among other things review of the Ministry’s working methods, many of the speakers pointed the need for constant and dissemination of correct information on the Government’s position on international issues to depict an accurate picture about the country.

Israel Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon released a new media video describing the historical facts of the Israel Palestinian conflict in a concise, easy to follow video on YouTube. The video explains where the terms "West Bank", "Occupied territories" and "1967 Borders" originated and how they are incorrectly used and applied.

Last year, the State Department said it needed 1,250 more positions to handle work in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East, besides expanding public diplomacy and increasing foreign language training. But in this year's budget belatedly approved in April, lawmakers only provided enough money to fill jobs left vacant by attrition.

Part of the plan is to hire nationals of the target markets with right skills and networks to head the charm offensive instead of sending Kenyans with little or no connections...he move not only marks a major shift in the country’s diplomatic positioning but also makes a significant departure from the way Kenya has traditionally staffed its embassies and high commissions abroad.