US To Complete Sh500 Million Counter Terrorism Centre, Strengthen Bilateral Relations With Kenya

WASHINGTON DC, US April 24 -The Governments of the US and Kenya on Monday held the third iteration of the US-Kenya Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C.

The meeting that seeks to strengthen the bilateral relationship across all five pillars of the Strategic Partnership and advancing peace and prosperity in Kenya, Africa, and beyond was attended by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Dr. Alfred Mutua, his Trade counterpart Moses Kuria and Interior Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo.

The five pillars of the Strategic Partnership Framework signed in 2018, include Economic Prosperity; Health cooperation; Multi-lateral/Regional issues; Defence cooperation; and Democracy, Governance and civilian security.

The US committed to completing the Sh500 million Counter Insurgency, Terrorism, and Stability Operations Center in the country and also strengthen police reforms and accountability.

“The United States will continue to partner with Kenyan law enforcement agencies and judicial institutions to build capacity to disrupt, respond to, and investigate corruption cases, acts of terrorism, and transnational organized crimes,” the Secretary said.

The agreement also seeks to increase Kenya’s ability to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence in counterterrorism investigations and prosecutions. 

According to a joint statement from the US Department of State, the two countries also committed to expand their partnership to defend against common cyber threats, reaffirmed their mutual commitment to an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet, and announced their intent to convene a second US-Kenya Cyber and Digital Dialogue later this year.

Both countries committed to further increase two-way trade and investment cooperation through the Kenya-U.S. Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership and by prioritizing economic and commercial programs.

Through these joint efforts, the United States and Kenya seek to work to create at least one million new jobs per year in Kenya and greatly reduce food insecurity over the next five years.

Kenya and the US also renewed their commitment to implement instruments signed during the 2022 Bilateral Defense Forum, which include a five-year security cooperation plan to enhance Kenya’s capabilities to counter violent extremist organizations.