Latest news with #NoordinHaji
Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Kenya turns to Israel for Sh3.4 billion missile defense deal
Kenya is set to receive a Sh3.4 billion loan from Israel to finance the acquisition of a modern missile defense system, in a move aimed at bolstering the country's air security amid escalating regional terror threats. Kenya will receive a Sh3.4 billion loan from Israel to enhance its missile defense system. The SPYDER system, developed by Israel, is the primary focus of this equipment upgrade, providing mobile aerial threat interception capabilities. This partnership aligns with Kenya's strategic push to modernize its military amid increasing regional security challenges. The funding will support the procurement of advanced military hardware, including repayment of part of a previous Sh1 billion loan used to acquire the air defense system. Disbursement to the Ministry of defense is expected in July 2025. An update from Kenya's Treasury also notes that the Sh3.4 billion loan from Israel will cover nearly 70% of the Defense Ministry's development budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year as per Business Daily Africa According to a report by Eastleigh Voice, the latest funding round will enable the continued deployment of the SPYDER system, a high-tech, mobile surface-to-air missile system developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries. The system is capable of intercepting a range of aerial threats, including aircraft, drones, helicopters, and guided munitions. The loan agreement marks a significant step in Kenya's push to modernize its military capabilities in response to mounting security challenges across the Horn of Africa and beyond. Kenya's National Intelligence Service Director-General, Noordin Haji recently raised alarm over the growing threat posed by extremist groups operating in and around East Africa. ' As part of this expansion, ISIS and Al-Shabaab have been collaborating with the Houthis, gaining access to advanced weaponry and sophisticated training, ' Haji warned. ' The spillover effects are now being felt in Africa, making the continent an emerging epicenter of terrorism. ' Kenya's preference for Israeli military hardware While the United States and Turkey remain Kenya's primary suppliers of military equipment, including helicopters, armored vehicles, and drones, Israel is emerging as a trusted partner for advanced air defense systems. Kenya and Israel have maintained a decade-old military cooperation pact, first signed in 2011. The domestic security agreement has enabled collaboration in key areas, including counter-terrorism, crime prevention, and efforts to curb drug smuggling. Over the years, this partnership has deepened, particularly in the realm of defense technology and tactical support.
Daily Maverick
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
From conflict to cooperation: Rethinking security strategies in the Kenya-Ethiopia borderlands
Kenya's police have achieved some positive results, but lasting solutions require ongoing cooperation between the two countries. In February, Kenyan police launched Operation Ondoa Jangili ('remove the criminals') as part of security measures to drive the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) out of hideouts in Isiolo and Marsabit counties. The OLA is an informal militia fighting for self-determination for Ethiopia's Oromo ethnic group in the south of the country. Owing to its political orientation and culture of violence, it has frequently escaped Ethiopian authorities by crossing into Kenya. Marsabit and Isiolo are home to the Borana and Gabbra communities, both of which speak Oromo, thus providing cover for the OLA through ethnic affinity. Ethiopia's National Intelligence and Security Service says the armed group broke away from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) after the OLF renounced the armed struggle in 2018. Ethiopian intelligence says the OLA has established ties with the terrorist group al-Shabaab in Somalia and is involved in illicit activities such as arms trafficking and illegal mining. The Kenya Police Service has also accused the group of engaging in arms, drug and human trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping for ransom and instigating tribal conflicts. In August 2024, two South Koreans were abducted from their Odda Mission Church residence in Moyale and allegedly handed to al-Shabaab in what Ethiopian intelligence says was an OLA-al-Shabaab collaboration. The OLA denies the claim. Kenya-Ethiopia cross-border insecurity The OLA says it has no presence in Kenya. This contradicts the country's National Intelligence Service Director-General Noordin Haji, who told a parliamentary oversight committee that the OLA was occupying Kenyan territory. The group has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of Kenyan communities living along the border, pledging to respect Kenya's territorial integrity and expressing willingness to cooperate with authorities. The OLA accused Ethiopia's army and intelligence of facilitating transnational criminal networks and cautioned Kenya not to be misled and to maintain its balanced approach to regional stability. Kenyans living along the border are caught in the crossfire, often being detained by security forces for allegedly harbouring OLA fighters. Community members also face harassment by the OLA, which accuses them of spying for Kenya and Ethiopia's governments. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights says the ongoing police operation has sparked an outcry from those affected, who report human rights violations by the security forces. A lack of coordinated Kenyan-Ethiopian security force patrols along their porous border, marginalisation of border communities by both governments, and weak state institutions lacking the capacity to respond to distress calls have all worked in the OLA's favour. A resident told ISS Today that previous efforts by both Kenyan and Ethiopian security agencies to contain the OLA's activities were disjointed. That allowed the group to easily melt into the Kenyan population across the border when escaping Ethiopian authorities. As a result of OLA's incursions and a mismatch in Kenya and Ethiopia's firearm policies, the border region has suffered an influx of small arms. Kenya controls the licensing of arms, while in Ethiopia, civilians can legally own guns after registering them with the federal government. This fuels a cycle of insecurity as border communities acquire illicit arms for self-defence, creating a ready market for arms traffickers and the OLA. Memorandum of understanding In August 2024, in the build-up to the current police operation, Kenya and Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation through intelligence sharing and coordinated operations. The countries also had a security defence pact ratified in 1964, which, among other things, allowed them to support each other if a third party attacked them. However, the pact lost significance as the Somalian threat at that time waned. Kenya's operation has uncovered 14 makeshift camps believed to be used by OLA members, 10 firearms, ammunition, fake US dollars and Ethiopian birr, and propaganda literature in Oromo. Several people with alleged links to the group were arrested, and the police claim to have disrupted human and arms trafficking networks while curtailing cross-border incursions and kidnappings. These are positive achievements. But as with all security force operations, the successes can generally only be sustained while the operation is active. Once it ends, illicit activities could resume. Longer-term measures and prevention strategies are also vital. For example, coordinated and ongoing joint cross-border security patrols, combined with state investment in infrastructure such as roads and education facilities in border areas, are needed. That would protect border communities and facilitate trade and investment, bringing stability after decades of upheaval. Kenya and Ethiopia should also establish a permanent joint border security management framework, including a 24-hour one-stop border post at Moyale and formal border posts in Forolle, Elhadi and Dukana. This would encourage trade and check the movement of criminal actors and contraband across the border. Also, while factionalism within insurgent groups makes engaging in meaningful peace talks hard, Ethiopia's government should consider dialogue with the OLA, as happened in 2023. Ironing out contentious issues and building trust could help settle the disputes among parties to the conflict. Lastly, security forces must adhere to the law when carrying out operations, particularly concerning human rights. This would build trust between them and local communities, with knock-on positive effects for intelligence sharing, and tracking and arresting suspects. DM
The Star
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Experts call for African-led security solutions, digital innovation
KIGALI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Security and governance experts, speaking at a high-level panel session during the International Security Conference on Africa (ISCA) in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, on Tuesday, called for homegrown solutions to tackle the continent's pressing security challenges and leverage digital transformation for economic growth. Held under the theme "Reshaping Africa's Landscape in a Dynamic, Complex Global Environment," the two-day forum brought together over 1,000 security professionals, policymakers, researchers, and international partners from across Africa and beyond to deliberate on terrorism, cyber threats, political instability, and transnational crime. Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, president of the Africa School of Governance, an institution in public policy and leadership education, said, "Africa's economic future depends on our ability to move up the value chain. This is critical not just for trade, but for balancing power in the global marketplace." Noordin Haji, director general of Kenya's National Intelligence Service, underscored the gap between intelligence collection and legal prosecution. "We have long struggled to convert intelligence into admissible evidence. Intelligence must support law enforcement and judicial systems effectively," he said. Haji also warned against blindly adopting foreign-developed AI systems. "Whatever is created out there is not necessarily for our convenience. Africa must shape its own AI policies that reflect our realities and preserve our cultural values." Rwandan Minister of Information and Communications Technology and Innovation Paula Ingabire emphasized the country's commitment to digital security. "As we push for interoperable digital systems, we are also implementing a zero-trust framework. No device or system is automatically trusted," she said. Ingabire said that Rwanda is a signatory to the Malabo Convention, reinforcing its dedication to international cooperation on cybersecurity. The conference marked the official launch of ISCA as a pan-African platform for security dialogue, policy coordination, and innovative solutions tailored to Africa's unique context.
