Brazil -Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, has urged African diplomats to stand united in pushing for sweeping reforms at the African Union and within the global financial system changes he says are long overdue.
Speaking in the Brazilian capital of Brasília, Mudavadi called on African Heads of Mission to press for a more balanced world order, one that better reflects the priorities of the continent’s people and governments.
“It’s time for bold diplomacy,” Mudavadi said during a meeting with envoys from 35 African nations. “I called on my colleagues to boldly advocate for a just and inclusive world order, aligned with Africa’s Agenda 2063.”
The meeting was hosted by Ambassador Martin Mbeng, the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in Brazil. The corps includes representatives from nearly every African country with ties to Latin America’s largest economy.
Mudavadi, who also serves as Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said the current global financial frameworks continue to sideline African economies, limiting the continent’s ability to tackle urgent challenges such as climate change, debt distress, and infrastructure gaps.
“Africa must speak with one voice,” he told the gathering, “especially when the rules of the game have been written without our full participation.”
He praised recent efforts by the African Union to strengthen internal structures and align diplomatic efforts under its long-term development plan, Agenda 2063 a 50-year blueprint that envisions a united, self-reliant and prosperous Africa.
Mudavadi was joined by Kenya’s Ambassador to Brazil, Dr Andrew Karanja. The two Kenyan officials also held side talks with other diplomatic missions on trade, technology exchange, and climate cooperation.
The visit comes as Kenya continues to reposition itself on the global stage, with President William Ruto’s administration pushing for a more assertive African voice in international forums like the G20 and the United Nations.
While many diplomats at the event agreed on the need for change, some cautioned that achieving consensus across the continent remains a challenge. Nonetheless, there was broad support for a more coordinated African agenda in foreign policy.
“Reform won’t happen overnight,” said one diplomat who attended the meeting but asked not to be named. “But there’s growing recognition that Africa must drive its own story and its place in the world.”
