CS DEFENCE HOLDS BILATERAL TALKS

The Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Hon. Soipan Tuya, today held bilateral talks with the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ Minister for Defence, Mr. Ruben Brekelmans, at the International Peace Support and Training Center in Karen, Nairobi. During the talks the two signed a Letter of Intent between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Kenya and The Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The agreement aims to strengthen Defence Cooperation in the areas Peace Support Operations, Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security, Maritime Security, Climate Security, Military Training and exchange of best practices.

Hon. Tuya welcomed the discussions, highlighting the opportunity to strengthen collaboration between Kenya and the Netherlands. She noted that both countries have been working on a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) and a Status of Force Agreement (SOFA) through the exchange of drafts. She emphasized the significance of signing the documents marking a commitment from both parties to formalize arrangements that will guide future engagements. She underscored the value of cooperation, particularly in capacity building for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) through various military activities and programs.

Mr. Brekelmans reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to enhancing KDF’s capabilities, recognizing Kenya’s strategic role in promoting regional peace, security, and stability. He added that the two Nations are progressively committed to enhanced effectiveness of intelligence-led peacekeeping missions worldwide as well as shape the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain through international collaboration.

Also present during the talks were the Principal Secretary for Defence, Dr. Patrick Mariru; Vice Chief of Defence Forces, Lieutenant General John Omenda; Assistant Chief of the Defence Forces in charge of Operations, Doctrine, and Training, Major General Alfred Leuria; Director of the International Peace Support and Training Center, Brigadier Joyce Sitienei; Chief of Strategic Plans and Policies at Defence Headquarters, Brigadier Samuel Kimani; and senior military officers from both the Kenyan and Dutch delegations.