Kenya and the United Kingdom have agreed to refresh the UK-Kenya Security Compact, with a promise to work together to defeat the common threat of al-Shabab.
On a two-day visit to Kenya, the UK Secretary of State for Defense, Ben Wallace stressed the need to fight extremist groups.
“It is important that friends and allies support you in the task ahead. It is important that when we face the common threat of al-Shabab, that we work together to defeat that, both here in Kenya but also the United Kingdom and through the international community and indeed through the UN in Somalia.
“I think it is important that the United Kingdom stands side by side with Kenya in standing up for its values, for democracy, and working with Kenya to make sure that its neighbours follow a similar path”, Wallace said.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government, Fred Matiang’i denied reports of Kenya’s involvement in sponsoring forces fighting against Somali forces.
“We understand there is a conflict on the other side of the border but it is a conflict internal to Somalia. It has nothing to do with us. We are not involved in it and none of our forces has crossed the border to go over to Somalia, so I do not know what they are referring to but you can take this to the bank, we are not involved in that. That is a conflict that is internal to Somalia”, Matiang’i said.
Ben Wallace’s visit to Kenya is to strengthen long-standing relations between both nations. The East African nation is a key base for the battle against al-Shabab. As one of the world’s most resilient extremist organizations, al-Shabad is based in neighbouring Somalia.