Nairobi — Kenya and Israel have reaffirmed their bilateral defence and security cooperation, underscoring a shared commitment to strengthening strategic ties in military training and capability development.
The commitment was made on Wednesday when Cabinet Secretary for Defence Soipan Tuya hosted Israel's Ambassador to Kenya, Gideon Behar, at the Defence Headquarters in Nairobi for a courtesy call.
In a statement following the meeting, Tuya said the engagement highlighted the importance of sustained bilateral collaboration anchored on mutual respect and shared strategic interests.
The discussions reviewed the steady evolution of cooperation between the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and Israel in defence and security matters.
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"We observed the importance of structured and predictable partnerships that integrate modernisation priorities with long-term sustainment and resilience," Tuya said.
The meeting also explored the establishment of a Strategic Defence Dialogue mechanism aimed at institutionalising regular consultations, aligning long-term priorities, and ensuring predictable, results-oriented cooperation between Kenya and Israel.
According to Tuya, such a framework would elevate defence engagement and enhance coordination on shared security objectives.
Tuya further noted that the talks identified opportunities for expanded collaboration in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing and cybersecurity, in line with Kenya's national security priorities and evolving threat landscape.
Also present at the courtesy call were Israel's Deputy Ambassador Ariel Arviv, Head of the Israel Economic and Trade Mission Arnon Arbel, and senior KDF officials, including incoming Chief of Strategic Policy and Plans Brigadier Caroline Mutisya and outgoing Chief Brigadier Ronald Makori.
Kenya and Israel have maintained longstanding defence and security ties, with cooperation spanning training, technology exchange and joint capacity-building initiatives.
