NATIONAL DIPLOMACY


votes of key embassies or requisite adoption or approval of treaties or agreements entered into by the executive and its agents or review of treaties and relations in which the National Assembly plays a part. Historically, the National Assembly has been relegated to performing post-mortem roles of foreign relations and policy formulation and execution. International relations, positively or negatively, affect internal power relations – both the development and the well-being of a country. Therefore, it is too important to be left entirely to the executive arm of government.


However, foreign relations have the potential to help strengthen the positive support and inputs required to accelerate the pace of development in African countries and to bolster specific internal techno-developments. In the case of Kenya,


international relations played a fundamental role in containing the internal devastating post-election situation that threatened to dismantle Kenya’s political and socio-economic stability and fabric. The role and centrality of the Kenya Parliament cannot be questioned in this regard. It remains imperative to ensure from the outset that the government and Parliament subject foreign relations to the needs of popular national interest. Parliament has a constitutional mandate and plays a critical role in enacting legislation, formulating policies and approving programmes for foreign and international relations together with the elected executive. It also has a primary duty of oversight of execution of policy and its regular appraisal. But


Parliament’s participation goes beyond mere policy formulation. Parliament ought to actively participate in negotiations. In the past, Kenya’s Parliament has not been adequately involved in such negotiations.


Parliament as a sovereign Assembly of elected


representatives offers deliberative and consultative bases through its plenary debates and relevant committees for the continuous oversight of Foreign Ministry operations, including the scrutiny of the budget for the different embassies, the periodic review, restructuring and the overhaul of foreign policies and activities undertaken by missions abroad. This constitutes the ideal scope of the National Assembly’s involvement in the democratic co- determination and execution of effective and cordial foreign relations.


Growth of parliamentary democracy


Over the years, despite constitutional and state practice limitations, National Assemblies are evolving greater involvement in governance and so are rightly asserting their due role in the conduct of foreign relations. Parliamentary diplomacy is a necessity in Africa’s development. Parliamentary diplomacy complements regional and international governance systems in a very unique and productive manner, achieving immediate value.


The incremental assertion of the role of National Assemblies beyond that of intra-African treaties and historical relations is exemplified by the increasing recognition of and vibrant participation by many nascent Legislatures in international parliamentary bodies such as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Inter- Parliamentary Union.


Relevant House Committees have formulated working plans that recognize the need to deliberate and consult on policies affecting diverse issues of foreign relations and ensure adequate participation and funding is available. The watchdog committees also play their oversight role in ensuring


there is value-addition and the intended objectives are met so voted funds are used appropriately and prudently.


Parliaments have increasingly embraced the culture of exchange of visits to identify, formalize and intensify Parliament’s engagement in foreign economic relations. Moreover, the Kenyan Parliament is conscious of the fact that the diversification of economic partnerships by countries is paying dividends. The Kenyan Parliament is increasingly sending delegations to non-traditional trading partners to the East including China, Japan, Korea and Russia to explore the possibility of establishing new and more appropriate bilateral trade partnerships.


Kenya’s Parliament has of late initiated and had direct engagements with developed countries’ Parliaments in such places as the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey. It has also engaged with regional and international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank and the World Bank to deepen its understanding of the operations of these institutions, given their significant contribution to the country’s financial and economic growth.


Parliamentary diplomacy has proved to be effective in strengthening regional relations, addressing peace and war questions. Kenya’s Parliament continues to play a critical role in regional conflict resolution through activities of its parliamentary committees and peace caucuses. In particular, the Somali and southern Sudan questions remain key areas of interest to the Kenyan Parliament. The United Nations, the African Union and our region’s Intergovernmental Authority on Development have been quite instrumental.


What should Parliaments do?


The monopoly in matters of


diplomacy formerly held by the executive could be detrimental in the practice of contemporary diplomacy because of inherent drawbacks and limitations. Executive-dominated diplomacy can be prone to becoming a personal vehicle of the executive, subject to abuse in favour of executive power instead of being a national instrument and asset. Yet it is imperative that balance in exercising diplomacy finds expression in internal and external policies and must be realized in a country’s architecture of


governance. Therefore, even when constitutional provisions or practices hitherto have not supported active parliamentary diplomacy, it is currently imperative that Parliament plays a more pro- active role.


Relations between the National Assemblies and the executives in internal


governance matters have to go beyond ritual co-determination of governance. Internal and external affairs have to be made real in order to build requisite capacities to leverage


modernization and development in the very difficult matter of international affairs.


National Assemblies have to face up to the realities of contemporary foreign relations. They must build political, legal and constitutional capabilities to address this issue more effectively. There is a need for structural and leadership transformation to recognize parliamentary diplomacy as a new frontier of Parliament’s strengthening role in governance. House Committees need to be restructured and enhance their financial and managerial capacities so that they attract the necessary technical and professional support services, both internal and external expertise.


There is also need to beef up Parliaments’ research sections to place international law and international trade experts at the command of Members.


The Parliamentarian | 2010: Issue Three - Kenya | 35


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