On 25 January 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Interior & Coordination of National Government, Dr Fred Matiang’i, and the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP, agreed a refreshed UK-Kenya Security Compact.
The signing of the Compact concluded after a morning of high-level talks, chaired by Dr Matiang’i and Mr Wallace, under the third UK-Kenya Security Dialogue.
Dr Matiang’i hosted Mr Wallace at the start of a two-day visit to Kenya, which now moves on to focus on the UK and Kenya’s longstanding defence relationship.
The threats our countries face are many and complex. We, the Governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland and the Republic of Kenya, were therefore delighted to meet once again in this Senior Ministerial forum and agree a refreshed Security Compact, providing renewed impetus and strategic direction for addressing these shared challenges together.
One year on from H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta and Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s launch of the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership in London, today’s events have helped further substantiate the enhanced bilateral relationship envisioned by our two Heads of Government.
“Our cordial relationship with the United Kingdom goes back many decades and it is indeed a pleasure to welcome the Secretary of State for Defence to our country.
“Kenya has been on the forefront of the global war against terror and it is partnerships like these that make a difference, and the world a safer place to be in.
“This Security Compact will see both countries strengthen their capacity to respond to various facets of global security challenges in a more formidable manner. I look forward to working closely with the UK in achieving this goal.”
UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, said:
“Kenya has long been the UK’s closest partner in East Africa. There are over 200 UK Armed Forces personnel based here and in a more uncertain world the UK is determined to invest further in our bilateral ties.
“Our nations face shared threats, from violent extremism to organised crime. The security agreement we have signed today will allow us to further deepen our relationship and tackle regional defence issues as ever closer partners.”
The Security Dialogue talks focused on enhancing coordination and collaboration in tackling Al Shabaab, and demonstrating joint leadership on security challenges of international significance – notably instability in the Horn of Africa – as befits two members of the United Nations Security Council.
The evolution of the Compact is testament to the responsiveness of our bilateral partnership, as we adapt to the changing nature of threats, in working together for the security of our two countries, East Africa and the wider world.
Background
On 28 September 2015, the Governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland and the Republic of Kenya signed the first UK-Kenya Security Compact, a commitment to strengthen our security partnership in pursuit of the mutual goal of a more stable, prosperous Kenya.
Since then, our security partnership has been further advanced by the signing of a second UK-Kenya Security Compact in August 2018 and the launch of the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership in January 2020.