Kenya met with United Arab Emirates officials on June 17 to discuss modernising the Kenya Defence Forces through technology and reforms.
Senior Kenyan officials from the National Treasury and the State Department for Defence met a delegation from Abu Dhabi on June 17. Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo and Patrick Mariru led the discussions on collaboration under the KDF Modernisation Programme.
The talks focused on improving operational readiness, introducing advanced technology and supporting institutional reforms aligned with Kenya's national security goals. The engagement builds on the Kenya-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed in January 2025.
Treasury stated that the meeting aimed to strengthen partnerships for technological advancement and institutional transformation. Kenya ranks 12th in Africa and 84th globally on the Global Firepower Index of 2026.