The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will receive about $21.4 million from the European Union (EU) in military support against threats such as the Somali militant group Al Shabaab.
This marks the first time Nairobi will draw support directly from the EU Peace Facility, a fund established in 2021 by the European Union to help boost security initiatives in allied African countries.
The funds will support the KDF in protecting Kenyan borders and addressing both domestic and foreign threats, according to a message from the European Council.
“The assistance measure will also contribute to securing border areas and countering increased Al Shabaab operations along the border with Somalia,” the European Council said on Monday.
Accessing the European Peace Facility means the funds will finance equipment purchases and other services, such as technical training.
The Kenya army infantry combat units will receive tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, non-lethal interceptors and jammers, systems to defeat improvised explosive devices, electronic warfare equipment, cross-country tactical military vehicles, and a mobile medical post.
The outgoing African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which KDF has been a part of for the last decade, has drawn support from the EU for years. However, the EU and other donors had recently cut back some budgetary allocations to the mission, citing security challenges on the continent.
The KDF has not directly benefited from the facility since its creation in 2021. The facility had initially targeted the Sahel region, where insurgencies have affected countries such as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
Additionally, the Kenya Navy’s naval marine units will receive night vision goggles, life vests, and other personal protective equipment as part of the $21.4 million support.