Elijah Ntongai, an editor at TUKO.co.ke, has over four years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting experience, providing insights into Kenyan, African, and global trends.

Kenya has officially launched the Techplomacy Connective, a first-of-its-kind diplomatic and innovation platform aimed at aligning diplomacy with emerging technologies to tackle complex global diplomatic and digital challenges.

The ambitious initiative, championed by the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology in collaboration with the Belgium Embassy and other partners, was unveiled at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, Nairobi.

The high-level event was presided over by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, who called on tech companies based in Nairobi to actively engage in shaping a safer, inclusive, and forward-looking digital ecosystem.

“Technology diplomacy is now a key pillar of Kenya’s foreign policy. Through the Techplomacy Connective, we aim to transform Nairobi into a global multilateral and financial hub,” said Mudavadi.

Mudavadi underscored Kenya's leadership in global digital policy, citing its membership in the International Network of AI Safety Institutes and its sponsorship of the first-ever UN resolution on artificial intelligence.

The Techplomacy Connective seeks to convene diplomats, innovators, civil society, and the private sector to co-create ethical, inclusive, and resilient digital frameworks.

The platform is structured around six workstreams: policy and governance, digital inclusion, public-private partnerships, financial services, multilateral innovation platforms, and capacity building.

Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo, emphasised the need to move from rhetoric to real impact.

“This initiative is about more than tech. It’s about embedding human rights, equity, trust, and safety in every digital system we build. The digital future must be inclusive, or it won’t work at all,” he said.

Kenya, often referred to as Africa’s Silicon Savannah, is home to over 500 technology companies, 93 foreign missions, and 148 international organisations, making Nairobi a prime location for leading global tech-diplomacy efforts.

The Connective also marks a historic milestone, with the Belgium Embassy becoming the first foreign mission in Kenya to deploy an AI assistant as part of its digital diplomacy strategy.

Strategically aligned with Kenya’s Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2025 and Executive Order No. 1 of 2023, the initiative aims to cement Nairobi’s status as the continent’s hub for multilateral diplomacy and fintech innovation through the Nairobi International Financial Centre (NIFC).

Among its planned activities are the establishment of a permanent Techplomacy Hub in Nairobi, an annual summit bringing together global stakeholders, and talent exchange programmes that bridge diplomats and technologists.

The government is now calling on tech companies in Nairobi, multilateral organisations, and civil society actors to join the Connective and co-develop solutions to global digital issues, from AI regulation and cybersecurity to digital equity and ethical data governance.

In other news, Kenyan tech firm Craft Silicon is set to launch “Small Talk,” a voice-powered AI assistant.

The AI assistant supports local languages and integrates with core banking systems to transform customer service in the financial sector.

Currently in its pilot phase, Small Talk aims to reduce training costs and enhance accessibility by enabling users to interact with banking apps through natural voice commands.

CEO Kamal Budhabhatti highlighted the innovation’s potential to position Kenya on the global AI map, rivaling international platforms like ChatGPT and Grok.

The AI tool was showcased at the SACCO Summit 2025 alongside other Craft Silicon innovations aimed at boosting digital transformation and financial inclusion.

Source: TUKO.co.ke