NEW DELHI, India — The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has raised alarm over declining international funding for peacekeeping missions, cautioning that the trend threatens to undermine hard-won gains in regional and global stability.
Speaking during the 2025 United Nations Troop Contributing Countries (UNTCC) Army Chiefs Conclave in New Delhi, Kenya Army Deputy Commander Major General Mohamed Hassan underscored the growing financial strain facing troop-contributing nations, including Kenya, as they continue to shoulder peace enforcement responsibilities in volatile regions.
“As one of the longest-serving troop-contributing countries, Kenya’s experience has shown us that the future of peacekeeping depends not just on the number of troops, but on rethinking our approach to mandates, partnerships, lasting political solutions, and adequate funding,” said Maj Gen Hassan.
He noted that the financial shortfalls currently affecting the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission (AUSSOM) have slowed operations and weakened the sustainability of security gains, particularly in conflict-prone regions such as the Horn of Africa.
Kenya, which has contributed troops to multiple peacekeeping missions under the United Nations and the African Union, remains a leading advocate for reforms to make peacekeeping more adaptive to emerging global threats, including terrorism, cyber warfare, and climate-related security risks.
The Kenyan contingent, first deployed in 2011 under Operation Linda Nchi, entered Somalia to neutralize the al-Shabaab threat following parliamentary approval by the administration of the late President Mwai Kibaki.
The mission later evolved from AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) to ATMIS (African Union Transition Mission in Somalia) on April 1, 2022, as part of a phased drawdown toward a sustainable Somali-led security framework.
The three-day UNTCC Conclave brought together senior military leaders and defence officials from around the world to explore ways of enhancing peacekeeping through technology, interoperability, and shared responsibility.
Discussions focused on improving coordination and leveraging innovation to ensure mission safety and effectiveness.
On the sidelines of the event, the Kenyan delegation held bilateral talks with representatives from the Indian Army to strengthen military cooperation and training partnerships.
In a significant development, the Director of the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), Major General Charles Mwazighe, signed a collaboration agreement with India’s Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK).
The deal seeks to deepen joint training, knowledge exchange, and operational readiness between the two institutions.
Kenya’s continued participation in global peacekeeping efforts, despite funding and logistical challenges, reaffirms its role as a stabilizing force and a trusted regional security partner.
