Written by Lisa Murimi
Kenya’s Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF), General Charles Kahariri, and United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM) Commander, General Michael Langley, have reaffirmed the deep military ties between Nairobi and Washington in a high-level meeting held on August 14, 2025, at AFRICOM Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.
The talks underscored the critical role of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in shaping stability across the Horn of Africa, with General Langley praising Kenya’s sustained contributions to peacekeeping missions, particularly in Somalia.
He reaffirmed Kenya’s position as a “critical strategic partner” to the US in countering regional and maritime threats.
General Kahariri thanked President Donald Trump’s administration for unwavering support to regional stability but raised concerns over the drawdown of troops under the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), warning it risked reversing hard-won gains.
While Kenya and other troop-contributing nations have entered temporary bilateral arrangements with Somalia to fill the gap, Kahariri stressed such stopgap measures are unsustainable without renewed international commitment.
Both leaders agreed to expand and modernise security cooperation, focusing on countering emerging threats such as cyberattacks, environmental crises, and unconventional warfare tactics.
They committed to leveraging advanced technology, enhancing multiagency operations, and strengthening civil-military relations across Africa.
A key outcome of the meeting was the signing of a new agreement to professionalise African military forces through joint training, operational coordination, and innovation-driven strategies.
The Stuttgart talks signal a reinforced Kenya–US security alliance at a time of heightened instability in the Horn of Africa, with both sides calling on the global community to recommit to Somalia’s peace process and broader regional security.
