Kenya signs treaties on regional peace keeping missions
Specialist cadets during a commissioning parade at the Kenya Military Academy in Nakuru on March 27, 2015. Kenya has ratified agreements to normalise its participation in joint regional peace-keeping missions. FILE PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The protocol, which Kenya signed in April 2012, is meant to enhance cooperation on regional “all defence affairs”.
- These include joint rescue operations, peace missions, shared military training and exchange of information.
- The agreements will now be deposited with the EAC secretary-general.
Kenya has ratified agreements to normalise its participation in joint regional peace-keeping missions.
On Tuesday last week, the National Assembly approved Kenya’s signatures on the East African Community Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs, the Mutual Defence Pact between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and the Agreement on the Establishment of the Eastern Africa Standby Force.
The protocol, which Kenya signed in April 2012, is meant to enhance cooperation on regional “all defence affairs” such as joint rescue operations, peace missions, shared military training and exchange of information.
It allows East African Community (EAC) member states to collaborate with regional and international organisations on matters “of peace, security and stability of the community”.
The protocol is expected to boost the adoption of the Eastern Africa Standby Force, whose creation was hampered by Kenya’s presence in many regional bodies without a proper arrangement to coordinate military operations.
The agreements will now be deposited with the EAC secretary-general.
