Good morning Principal Secretary Juma, Ambassador Eke, participants from the Young Diplomats of Kenya and other distinguished guests.

It is a pleasure to address this aspiring group of young people and to talk about a topic that is so near and dear to me – my commitment to and work experience in international affairs.

The complex global challenges we face require a new cadre of young leaders who are prepared to help us navigate the complex world of international affairs.

I congratulate Moses and his team for picking this theme as it is timely and resonates with the global agenda to promote the development of women. Young women have such an important role in international affairs and should strive for achieving and reaching the highest levels within the field.

As I thought about what I wanted to share with you today, it occurred to me that my advice to young women desiring careers in foreign affairs isn’t that much different from what I would share with young men.

As women, we need to be supportive of each other and create an environment of cooperation rather than competition. Creating a sisterhood that is supportive and inclusive will take us a lot further in our careers than just looking out for ourselves. It also makes our voice louder. After all, women’s experiences and perspectives are critical for shaping the development and foreign affairs agenda.

A huge part of my professional journey has been the incredible opportunity to work for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). For my colleagues, and me, every day that goes by, we ask, what is the most effective way for us to have an impact on issues of equity and justice around the world?

There are many answers to these questions. Therefore, our commitment through our development work is always to open doors for individuals, particularly those who are most likely to be left behind and who are among the most vulnerable groups within society. Too often, this means young women.

Through conversations around the globe, we realize that countless young women are eager to shape their communities but accomplishing these dreams is limited by weak governance structures, poverty, a lack of education and few decent employment opportunities.

In our Kenya and East Africa Mission, USAID has implemented various strategies to promote socio-economic empowerment of young women in Kenya and in the region.

We have been able to take advantage of President Obama’s Young African Leader Initiative (YALI), which provides young women leaders with many opportunities to enhance their diplomatic and negotiation skills. Right now, 1,000 young leaders from across the continent – half of them women – are in the United States as part of the YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship, establishing strong networks for future collaboration.

In a similar fashion, the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa opens doors for female change makers and offers valuable resources for aspiring public servants. The Center, here in Nairobi, brings together young leaders from across 14 countries in Eastern and Central Africa. I am proud to mention that Moses Mwende, the chair of the Young Diplomats of Kenya is an alumnus of the Leadership Center.

Many YALI alumni leave the program saying they understand their own countries better through the experience of dialoguing with those from other nations.

The application process for the YALI Regional Leadership Center’s next cohort is now open and will close on the 18th of July. I encourage you to consider this opportunity for yourselves.

Young leaders, both men and women, will promote resilient, democratic societies and advance the mutual prosperity of the citizens of Kenya, the region, and the world.

As we learn from those who have gone ahead of us, we also work to support each other through mentorship, leadership training and sharing of opportunities with those who share our aspirations and dreams.

I would like to leave you with three lessons I have learned after working in the field of international affairs for 30 years.
1. Women need to take advantage of every opportunity presented to them, and in order to do that, you must make sure you are well qualified. At the end of the day, your qualifications are what should be most important.

2. Work hard and persevere. To get where you want to go, it’s going to take a lot of hard work.

3. And finally, please don’t be afraid to share your perspective and stand up for a social agenda that moves women and young people ahead.
Thank you for inviting me to join you today and allowing me to share two of my greatest passions – working in the world of international affairs and supporting the future leadership and growth of aspiring young women.