DBDC INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE PUBLICATIONS & EVENTS UK LTD

Photo credit: KDF

The Chief of the General Staff of the United Kingdom, Roland Walker, paid an official visit to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in Nairobi, where he held high-level talks with Charles Kahariri as part of a familiarisation tour aimed at strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.

The meeting at Defence Headquarters provided an opportunity to review the longstanding military partnership between the United Kingdom and Kenya, with discussions focusing on expanding joint training initiatives, enhancing institutional capacity building, and reinforcing operational collaboration in response to evolving regional and global security challenges.

During his visit, General Walker also met with David Ketter at Kenya Army Headquarters. The talks emphasised the importance of deepening military-to-military cooperation, particularly in training, operational readiness, and knowledge exchange. Both sides highlighted the value of ongoing joint exercises in improving interoperability and professionalism across their forces.

A key part of the visit included a strategic tour of Kenya Navy Base Manda Bay in Lamu County, where the UK delegation was briefed on security developments in the Boni Forest region. The Kenya Defence Forces continue to conduct sustained counter-terrorism operations in the area, targeting militant networks and strengthening security along the Kenya–Somalia border.

The delegation also visited the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force, a trilateral framework involving Kenya, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The platform integrates intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to support coordinated operations, including Operation Amani Boni and maritime security efforts along Kenya’s coastline.

The visit concluded at the International Peace Support Training Centre, underscoring continued cooperation between Kenya and the United Kingdom in peace support training and international security initiatives.