President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) with King Abdullah II of Jordan at Embakasi Garrison in Nairobi on September 26, 2016. PHOTO/DENNIS ONSONGO
Kenya and Jordan have pledged to strengthen security ties as Jordan’s King Abdullah II kicked off his first official visit to Kenya.
The two nations made the commitment in Nairobi when King Abdullah joined President Uhuru Kenyatta to witness joint exercises conducted by elite units from the Kenya Defence Forces and the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces.
Kenya and Jordan signed a pact last August providing for the two countries’ military and counter-terrorism cooperation.
More than 60 Kenya Air Force officers have been trained by the Jordanian military. Another 38 will have trained by February next year.
Two elite units from KDF – Special Forces and Ranger Regiment – were joined by the Quick Reaction Force from the Jordanian military in displaying tactics to deal with conventional and asymmetric war threats.
President Kenyatta said the joint exercises would boost the capacity of both Kenyan and Jordanian forces.
“I am convinced that now our forces are ready for real problems in either of our countries, or elsewhere, should the need arise to tackle either conventional or asymmetric threats,” said President Kenyatta.
King Abdullah while noting that the two nations have started a new chapter “in our partnership of friendship,” promised closer ties with Kenya in battling emerging threats.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with you against the threats of today. It is a threat we did not ask for but are willing to fight,” said the King. “It is a new beginning for Kenya and Jordan.”
Kenya has battled terrorism in recent years especially along the restive border of north eastern where Alshabaab militants have executed several attacks.
Later at State House, President Kenyatta and the King held talks focusing on wider bilateral issues including ways to expand trade between Kenya and Jordan.
The visit happens on the back ground of unresolved incidents of mistreatment of Kenyans in the Middle East country.
Last August the Kenya government banned recruiting and sending of domestic workers to Jordan following a public outcry.
In March this year however, the State ruled that Kenyans with professional qualifications can once again apply for work in the Middle East after lifting a ban on the exportation of labour to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait.
The ban on domestic workers however remains.
The issue elicited a diplomatic spat between Nairobi and Amman. It remains to be seen whether Nairobi will push Amman to commit to protecting Kenyan domestic workers during the visit.
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