Chief Foreign Minister Korir Sing'oei commented on these statements in an interview with civilian television on Wednesday, explaining that there was no agreement on the deployment of a French military base. He stressed that the current agreement is a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), which focuses on personnel training, security support and operational cooperation. «No agreement has been signed between Kenya and France on the establishment of a military base. What we have is an agreement on military cooperation», Sing'oi said.
The clarification followed a public debate surrounding the expected ratification of the DCA, which was signed last October. This review comes amid broader regional discussions about France's military presence in Africa.
Fears were further heightened earlier this year when about 800 French troops arrived in Kenya aboard three warships in the port of Mombasa. French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Sucke described the deployment as a reflection of the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries aimed at strengthening stability in the Indian Ocean. According to the French Embassy, the mission focused on joint training of cadets and officers, as well as maritime security operations aimed at protecting Kenya's coastline, trade routes and infrastructure.
These security discussions coincided with the recent Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, where Kenya and France signed a number of agreements to strengthen cooperation in the fields of renewable energy, infrastructure, transport, digital technology, climate change and higher education. France has promised to support several key initiatives, including the modernization of the Nairobi commuter railway and the expansion of logistics infrastructure at the ports of Mombasa and Lamu.
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