Kenya and Ethiopia have agreed to strengthen coordination along the Moyale-Marsabit-Turkana corridor to address rising cross-border threats, as part of renewed efforts to operationalize their Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA). The agreement is expected to involve the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Ethiopian National Defence Force in structured joint military operations to secure key assets and stabilize vulnerable border areas. The discussions occurred during high-level bilateral talks between Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya and Ethiopia's Minister of Defence, Engineer Aisha Mohamed Musa, on the sidelines of the 130th anniversary of the Battle of Adwa in Addis Ababa.
The talks between Kenya and Ethiopia focused on implementing the existing Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), with both sides agreeing to a phased and practical framework to accelerate outcomes from the inaugural Joint Defence Committee, emphasizing actionable security collaboration over mere commitments.
The corridor, a flagship regional integration project, has become a vital economic lifeline, and its security is seen as essential for trade, energy transport, and regional connectivity. The leaders outlined measures to bolster protection of strategic infrastructure, including the LAPSSET Corridor, against emerging and asymmetric threats.
Security along the Moyale-Marsabit-Turkana corridor has been a shared concern due to cross-border criminal networks, resource-based conflicts, and the movement of insurgent groups. This has worsened recently amid clashes between Kenya's Turkana community and Ethiopia's Dassanech and Nyangatom communities, centered on the Ilemi Triangle and Lake Turkana, driven by disputes over pasture, water, and fishing grounds.
Additionally, CS Tuya and her Ethiopian counterpart reaffirmed their commitment to stabilization efforts in Somalia under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission (AUSSOM) to enhance security in the Horn of Africa.
Attendees at the bilateral meeting included Galma Boru, Kenya's Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union; Major General Frederick Leuria, Assistant Chief of Defence Forces (KDF) in charge of Operations, Plans, Doctrine and Training; and senior defence officials from both countries.