₦airaland Forum

Kenya and the United Kingdom (UK) have signed a five-year Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) to tackle shared threats across East Africa.

The two countries signed the agreement in a side event during President Kenyatta’s three-day Guest of Government visit to the UK.

Kenya’s Cabinet Seceretary for Defence, Dr Monica Juma, and UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, signed the new DCA on Tuesday evening at the Ministry of Defence offices in London.

The agreement will anchor the defence priorities between the two nations over the next five years.

The signing of the DCA comes six months after the two defence secretaries met in Nairobi, agreeing a refreshed Security Compact to deepen wider stability and security cooperation, part of the Kenya-UK strategic partnership.

The new DCA, once ratified by the Kenyan and UK Parliaments, will allow militaries of the two nations to share expertise, experience and techniques.

“It was great to meet Dr Monica Juma again today. We held very fruitful discussions and agreed on a range of measures to keep both of our countries safer. Kenya has long been our defence partner of choice in East Africa and, in a more uncertain world, we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder as we tackle the threats of tomorrow,” Mr Wallace said.

“The framework underpinning this strategic relationship is the Defence Cooperation Agreement which has become an invaluable tool for enhancing the competencies of our defence forces. Overall our cooperation continues to significantly improve the ability of our forces to operate effectively in high-threat environments,” Dr Juma said.

Under the current agreement, the UK has provided an annual training of over 1,100 KDF soldiers, with courses in the UK, or with UK military training teams in Kenya.

Further training has also been provided through the UK-funded Counter-IED Wing at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Embakasi.

Since its opening in 2016, over 2,000 military and police from 22 countries have been trained in CIED skills and 40 CIED instructors developed, significantly improving the ability of African Union (AU) forces to operate effectively in high-threat environments, including against Al Shabaab.

The UK has also provided extensive support to infrastructure projects at the KDF’s School of Infantry, which include an urban village, a Forward Operating Base (FOB), and an assault course, all which prepare more than 600 KDF personnel for deployment in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

The UK has been supporting AMISOM Troop contributing countries since 2010, through the Short Term Training Teams (STTTs) from the British Army, which costs KES43M annually.

Last month, UK handed over a multipurpose training facility to the Kenyan Navy with firefighting equipment alongside the Danish government.

The facility will also be available to other maritime agencies to conduct their firefighting and sea survival training, which is essential for deployment at sea. This will go a long way in helping the Kenyan Navy progress towards becoming a centre of excellence in maritime safety.

Juliusmalema:
IPOBS

Hangmnk:
Emotionally traumatized lowlife criminals seeking attention everywhere.

IPOB want a drug trafficking empire with now laws just savages with border. Nobody will want IPOB run country as a neighbor. Tifiakwa!

adadike:
IPOB is pure scam, the earlier you believe it , the better for you

Fahdiga:
They can sign 600 years deal with the UK but they must surely reap the repercussions that will soon come. The UK that I know will pull out of the rubbish deal the moment they will start dealing with those Oblong headed terrorists Kenyans to send a strong warning to Nigeria that extraordinary rendition is a serious international crime

Crayfish09:
They'll soon become the UK that you don't know .

Meanwhile, have you guys withdrawn your praises on Benin Republic yet?

adadike:
IPOB is pure scam, the earlier you believe it , the better for you

Kaiser20:
Why have the western nations completely ignored all the Ipob Free Nnamdi protests.
Not even a single comment or reaction from the Media or government.
Even Ipob engaged ESN to create tension in Nigeria in other to attract the sympathy of international communities, they ignored it all .

Kaiser20:
Why have the western nations completely ignored all the Ipob Free Nnamdi protests.
Not even a single comment or reaction from the Media or government.
Even Ipob engaged ESN to create tension in Nigeria in other to attract the sympathy of international communities, they ignored it all .

BigDick70inch:
Two Useless countroes forming allegiance......

I hope......Benin republic won't join them in their stupidity too.....






U two should get a life!!!
Take iti!!!!

Juliusmalema:
IPOBS are bunch of useless noisemakers. They are a whole load of distraction to ndigbo

Who is kanu and of what benefit is he to Kenya and international community? absolutely useless

They fabricated all sorts of lies and propaganda and now it is backfiring.


Nnamdi kanu should enjoy his state in prison to the fullest. He has shed so many innocent bloods


not suprised is nnamdi kanu not from abia state? mago mago and all forms of scams/deceits are their stock in trade.

Juliusmalema:
Your dp on nairaland needs life upgrade.....lol



no wonder they say all ipobs are serfs in the ssociety

Mumu........
Dats......was me at herbal joint sipping my Jedi......what fvck is wrong with that

Ain't ipob tho.........but they have my support any day.......

BigDick70inch:
Mumu........
Dats......was me at herbal joint sipping my Jedi......what fvck is wrong with that

Ain't ipob tho.........but they have my support any day.......