MOMBASA, Kenya — Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji is presiding over the Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Mombasa, a high-level security forum bringing together intelligence chiefs and security experts from across the world in what is being described as the largest gathering of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The conference has attracted representatives from more than 98 countries, alongside over 500 delegates comprising intelligence leaders, policy experts, and security practitioners.
The three-day summit is focused on strengthening intelligence sharing, enhancing cross-border cooperation, and building strategic partnerships to address evolving global and regional security threats.
Focus on terrorism, cyber threats and organised crime
Discussions at the conference are centered on pressing security challenges, including counterterrorism, transnational organised crime, cyber threats, and geopolitical instability.
Organisers say the forum reflects the increasing complexity of modern security risks, which require coordinated multilateral responses rather than isolated national efforts.
More than 21 security think tanks and research institutions are also participating, alongside major regional and continental bodies including the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA), among other international organisations.
Kenya’s strategic role in regional security
The summit also underscores Kenya’s growing influence in regional and global security architecture, positioning the country as a key hub for intelligence cooperation in Africa.
Officials say the Mashariki Cooperation Conference aims to deepen trust between intelligence agencies and improve coordinated responses to emerging threats that transcend national borders.
The discussions are expected to continue through the week, with outcomes likely to shape future cooperation frameworks among participating states and agencies.
The Mashariki Cooperation Conference is a high-level intelligence and security dialogue platform focused on enhancing regional stability through intelligence sharing, research collaboration, and strategic security coordination.
