UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CONDUCT OF DIPLOMACY IN KENYA BY RAMLA ISSAK DEROW REG NO: R51/87220/2016 SUPERVISOR: DR. ROSEMARY ANYONA A RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTERS DEGREE IN DIPLOMACY AT THE INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI 2019 DECLARATION I declare that this project is my original work and has not been submitted for any award to any other college, institution or university other than the University of Nairobi. Signed …………………………………… Date……………………….. SUPERVISORS APPROVAL The project has been submitted for examination with our approval as the university supervisors. Signed …………………………………… Date……………………….. ii DEDICATION Dedicated to my family for the great support they have accorded me, especially my grand ma, Rukia Osman. My success is also anchored in my lecturer who has been supportive in my studies. iii ACRONYMS IT – Information Technology IS – Information Systems MFA – Ministry of Foreign Affairs DDS – Digital Diplomatic System ICT – Information Communication Technology ITES – Information Technology Enabled Services NIMES – National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation System GES – Global Entrepreneurship Summit GSM – Global System for Mobile Communications SMS – Short Message Service WWW – World Wide Web iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .............................................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................. iii ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................... v CHAPTER ONE ......................................................................................................................................... 1 THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CONDUCT OF DIPLOMACY IN KENYA .................... 1 Introduction to the study ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the Research Problem .................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Objectives of the Study ......................................................................................................................... 6 1.4.0 Literature Review .............................................................................................................................. 6 1.4.1 Gap in the literature .......................................................................................................................... 9 1.5 Justification of the Study ...................................................................................................................... 9 1.6 Conceptual Framework ...................................................................................................................... 10 1.7 Hypotheses ........................................................................................................................................... 12 1.8 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................ 12 1.8.1 Data Collection ................................................................................................................................. 12 1.8.2 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................... 14 1.9 Chapter Outline .................................................................................................................................. 14 CHAPTER TWO ...................................................................................................................................... 16 THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CONDUCT OF DIPLOMACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY ................................................................................................................................................. 16 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 16 2.2 An overview of technological evolution in diplomacy ...................................................................... 17 2.3 The Scope of Technology in Diplomacy in the 21stCentury ........................................................... 19 2.4 Technological Tools Adopted in Diplomacy in the 21st Century.................................................... 21 2.5 Technology and Kenya’s Conduct of Diplomacy ............................................................................. 23 2.6 The Scope of technology ..................................................................................................................... 26 2.7 The Transformation of Diplomacy through ICT ............................................................................. 28 2.8 New media and Diplomacy ................................................................................................................. 32 2.9 Digital Diplomatic System and Diplomacy ....................................................................................... 35 2.10 Impact of ICT on Diplomacy ........................................................................................................... 36 v CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................................. 40 DIGITAL DIPLOMACY IN KENYA .................................................................................................... 40 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 40 3.2 Technology and Foreign Policy in Kenya ......................................................................................... 41 3.2.3 Nation Branding ............................................................................................................................... 45 3.3 Kenya’s e-Government ....................................................................................................................... 48 3.4 ICT as a Tool of Sourcing and Disseminating Information ............................................................ 49 3.5The Increased Costs of ICT Implementation .................................................................................... 52 CHAPTER FOUR ..................................................................................................................................... 54 PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CONDUCT OF DIPLOMACY IN KENYA ................................................................................................................................................. 54 4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 54 4.2. Challenges of using technology in conducting diplomacy in Kenya .............................................. 55 4.3. Challenges related to resources ........................................................................................................ 57 4.4 Technology and foreign policy implementation challenge .............................................................. 58 4.5 Contemporary challenges of integrating technology and diplomacy ............................................. 59 4.6 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 61 CHAPTER FIVE ...................................................................................................................................... 64 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................... 64 5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 64 5.1 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................................... 64 5.2 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................... 67 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................................... 69 APPENDECES .......................................................................................................................................... 72 Appendix I: Letter of Data Collection Instruments................................................................................. 72 Appendix II: Questionnaire ..................................................................................................................... 73 vi