NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya and the Czech Republic have signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), formalising bilateral military collaboration and strengthening security ties more than three decades after the two countries established diplomatic relations.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya announced the signing on Wednesday following a ceremony held at the Defence Headquarters in Nairobi, where the agreement was executed with the Czech Republic Ambassador to Kenya, Nicol Adamcová.
The ceremony was witnessed by Kenya’s Ambassador to Germany, Stella Mokaya Orina—who is accredited to the Czech Republic—Assistant Chief of Defence Forces in charge of Operations, Plans, Doctrine and Training, Major General Fredrick Leuria, and senior officials from the Ministries of Defence and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs from both countries.
“Today’s signing marks the culmination of discussions that began in 2019, with the DCA now establishing a formal, structured, and comprehensive framework to guide and strengthen our defence collaboration,” Tuya said in a statement.
Structured defence collaboration
According to the Defence CS, the agreement creates a clear legal and policy framework for cooperation in areas including capacity-building, training, and other mutually agreed defence activities. She said the partnership is anchored on shared commitments to regional and international peace and security.
Kenya and the Czech Republic established diplomatic relations in 1993, with the Czech Republic maintaining a resident diplomatic mission in Nairobi. Defence cooperation has gradually emerged as a key pillar of the bilateral relationship, complementing broader diplomatic and economic engagement.
Tuya noted that the DCA will allow both countries to move beyond ad hoc engagements toward sustained and coordinated defence collaboration once ratification processes are completed.
“We stand ready to embark on implementation of the DCA upon ratification, guided by the spirit of mutual trust,” she said.
Governance oversight
Under Kenya’s constitutional order, international agreements involving defence cooperation are subject to ratification and parliamentary oversight, ensuring alignment with national interests and civilian control of the military.
The signing of the DCA follows a broader trend of Kenya formalising bilateral defence partnerships as part of its foreign policy and security strategy.
