Roundup: Kenya, Britain to negotiate renewal of military training

Kenya and Britain are set to hold negotiations for a new bilateral agreement to renew training by British Army Unit.

Kenyan Principal Secretary for Defense Mutea Iringo said late on Wednesday that the discussions on the matter have taken quite long owing to the provisions in the Kenyan constitution.

"Fortunately, the discussions have come to a fruitful conclusion and we shall meet on Friday to finalize the matter," Iringo told journalists in Nairobi during the opening session of the British Trade and Investment Defence and Security Trade Mission.

A trade delegation of 17 leading British defense and security companies arrived in Nairobi this week for the first trade mission. The three-day mission is the first of its kind to the East African region.

The cooperation between the Kenyan and British governments on security and defense is worth close to 100 million U.S. dollars annually.

The mission comprises of British firms offering cutting-edge capabilities in border security, secure communications, airport security, armored personnel vehicles, earth observation satellites, conservation technologies and forensics.

Kenya held up diplomatic permits for over 700 British troops in 2014 as a row with London escalated after the latter issued travel advisory to its nationals to avoid making a trip to the East African nation, because the deteriorating security situation in Kenya as they claimed.

The move resulted in the British soldiers getting stuck in Kenya for several days after completing infantry training because the Kenyan government delayed "diplomatic clearance" for their replacements to take over from them.

British troops have for many years undertaken infantry training in Kenya under a regular agreement between the two countries that is renewed every two years.

British military cooperation with Kenya is worth about 94 million dollars a year, most of which flows directly into the local economy in and around Nanyuki town where the troops are based.

Iringo said transnational crime is a phenomenon which poses a serious threat to international peace and security and therefore requires close partnership and collaboration by international community to counter.

"Britain has been a key partner in defense cooperation and has provided support to Kenya in the field of specialized military training, including the provision of modern air, ground and naval equipment that has been used effectively in the fight against Al- Shabaab in Somalia," he said.

British High Commissioner to Kenya Christian Turner said his country is keen to deepen its existing engagement with Kenya to further strengthen the prospering relationship.

"This is a relationship which works in the interest of both countries. A more prosperous and secure Kenya means a more secure Britain. That is why we are working extremely closely with Kenyan authorities to reduce the security threat," Turner said, adding that the scale of British presence at this mission is an indication of the London's commitment to Kenya. Endi