Kenya, UK sign MoU to boost border security cooperation

In a statement issued on Wednesday after the signing, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration said  the agreement will support joint efforts to counter cross-border threats and protect communities from transnational organised crime, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

The Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration said the MoU is intended to enhance collective efforts to promote peace, stability and socio-economic development in border areas through a “holistic approach” that combines law enforcement with community engagement and peace initiatives.

According to the ministry, the cooperation responds to evolving and complex cross-border security challenges — including terrorism, trafficking in persons, human smuggling and other forms of transnational organised crime — particularly along the Kenya–Somalia and Kenya–Ethiopia borderlands. 

The ministry said the MoU also builds on ongoing initiatives supporting stability in border regions, including Deris Wanaag and the Land Border Programme.

UK Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director Diana Dalton said the agreement strengthens the Kenya–UK strategic partnership and will deepen collaboration in tackling organised crime and preventing the exploitation of vulnerable people by human traffickers.

“Our renewed commitment to cooperation on border security will see us working together to tackle organised crime and prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people by unscrupulous and exploitative human traffickers,” Dalton said, adding that the partnership is intended to enhance security and stability in the region.

The ministry said implementation of the cooperation will be coordinated through Kenya’s national security architecture led by the Interior ministry, with structured engagement of key partners.

 The programme is expected to support improved early warning systems and intelligence sharing, strengthened protective security responses, and coordinated interventions to address irregular migration, smuggling and trafficking.

In its initial phase, the programme will prioritise support to selected border counties: Turkana, Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir and Busia, with the possibility of expansion to other areas.

The ministry said the initiative will also seek to strengthen evidence-based understanding of mixed migration, organised crime and protection risks to inform policy and operational responses, while building the capacity of local security committees and border control agencies in collaboration with community leaders.

Kenya and the UK have longstanding bilateral ties anchored on security cooperation and regional stability. 

The ministry noted that the engagement builds on high-level bilateral relations, including President William Ruto’s official visit to the UK in July 2025, during which the two countries agreed to renew and deepen the Kenya–UK Strategic Partnership for a further five-year period.