Institute Of Diplomacy and International Studies

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The Venezuela Ambassador Uhomy Balza paid a courtesy call to the Director of Institutes of Diplomacy and International Studies (IDIS), Prof.  Amb  Maria Nzomo on 22nd June 2016. He expressed his gratitude for having visited the Institute. The Director IDIS said that it was an honour for the Institute to host the Ambassador. The two had a discussion on various areas that included collaboration and development of exchange programme.

The discussion centered on previous agreement between Kenya and Venezuela. During the discussions, Uhomy Balza confirmed the relationship between the two countries and stressed the need to focus more on academic partnerships. He suggested that IDIS can conduct a study to work with Venezuela on Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) relationship where they must involve the ministry of foreign Affairs. The Venezuela ambassador who was very happy to have a relationship with IDIS requested that IDIS assist in starting the activities.

Director IDIS noted that this was the Ambassador’s Second visit and they had discussed these issues before and there was need to work out modalities on what they wanted to collaborate on. Secondly that IDIS is committed to work with Venezuela on seminars, symposiums and would arrange a talk to the students by the ambassador on topical issues of interest to the two parties. It was suggested that because Venezuela is interested in studying Kiswahili, IDIS should assist on that. Specifically the following was requested:

1. That IDIS should co-ordinate the activities to celebrate Venezuela chairmanship-NAM
2. IDIS to help conduct a series of academic activities that would create awareness on NAM

It was noted that:

1. The Venezuela ambassador had already talked to the ambassador of Iran and other NAM Ambs. to participate in these activities. These talks should be opened to other interested participants.
2. That from September when Venezuela takes the chairmanship that IDIS should allow him to take four lectures on Venezuela through a formal request. These should centre on:

1.  The amount of time to give an academic session on the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries in the United Nations (GRULAC).
2. The project should be based on values of Grulac to spread Latin America culture.
3. IDIS to host these series of events.

The discussion was on:

1. NAM colloquium
2. Grulac series of events
3. Principal Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the proposal for academic programs providing for exchange between students and lecturers.

Topics was centered on:

1. Raising awareness on NAM
2. Relevance of NAM in the 21^st century
3. NAM in the context of south-south co-operation
4. Venezuela Amb. requested to be given seminars with students in the next semesters. It was suggested that they look into the syllabus to see what needed to be improved on.

Lastly the Amb. requested Prof.Amb. Maria Nzomo to be part of the Kenyan delegation visiting Venezuela later this year.