26/09/2023
On Monday, Kenya and the United States sealed a crucial defence agreement, marking a significant development in their strategic partnership. This accord paves the way for Kenya to receive essential resources and support for security operations, particularly as it takes on the leadership role in a multinational peacekeeping mission to address the escalating gang violence crisis in Haiti.
The signing ceremony took place in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, where Kenya’s Defence Minister, Aden Duale, and U.S. Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, put their signatures on this pivotal agreement. The document outlines the framework for the defence cooperation between the two nations over the next five years. This collaboration gains added importance as the fight against the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab extremist group in East Africa continues to intensify.
Secretary Austin expressed his gratitude to Kenya for assuming the leadership role in the multinational force destined for Haiti. Furthermore, he reiterated the U.S. government’s commitment to securing the $100 million in funding that was pledged during discussions held on the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Secretary Austin called upon the international community to follow Kenya’s example of unwavering dedication to global security and urged other nations to contribute additional personnel, equipment, support, training, and financial resources to this noble cause.
In August, Kenya pledged to deploy 1,000 security officers to Haiti in its mission to combat gang violence. While this mission awaits formal approval from the U.N. Security Council, it has already garnered support from both the United Nations and the United States.
Minister Duale expressed Kenya’s readiness to deploy to Haiti, citing the nation’s extensive history of participation in global peacekeeping efforts, including missions in Kosovo, neighbouring Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, it is important to note that human rights activists have raised concerns regarding potential human rights abuses during security operations in Haiti. Additionally, some security analysts have voiced worries about a potential language barrier between Kenyan personnel, who predominantly speak English and Swahili, and the people of Haiti, where the official languages are French and Creole.
Regarding the regional battle against al-Shabab, Secretary Austin reported that he had met with the Somalian president, and both leaders acknowledged the significant progress made against the extremist group in the past year. Nevertheless, Secretary Austin cautioned that progress in such endeavours is not always linear, with improvements on one day possibly followed by challenges on the next.
Somalia recently requested a three-month pause from the United Nations in the second phase of troop withdrawal, involving 3,000 soldiers. This pause would allow Somali forces to regroup and strengthen their capabilities. The ultimate goal is for Somalia to assume full responsibility for its security by the end of 2024.
By Sara Hamrani